Lancaster’s ‘eye in the sky’ helps capture home burglary suspect

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The city of Lancaster’s aerial surveillance plane helped Los Angles County sheriff’s deputies catch a burglar in the act Friday, authorities said.

According to a statement from the Lancaster sheriff’s station, when deputies were called to a burglary in progress at a residence in the 1200 block of Lancaster’s East Pondera Street at about 3:45 p.m., the agency’s Law Enforcement Aerial Platform System airplane was immediately deployed. The plane’s operator was able to track the suspect, identified as 21-year-old Keymal Rucker, as he tried to evade deputies by running through several neighboring backyards, authorities said.

The operator guided deputies to a residence on nearby Caperton Street, where Rucker tried to take refuge, authorities said. The occupants of the home were later identified as acquaintances of the suspect, they said.

Rucker was arrested and no one was injured, authorities said.

The surveillance plane, commonly known as the “eye in the sky,” was launched by Lancaster in August and uses technology attached to a piloted single-engine Cessna to give deputies a bird’s-eye view of what is happening on the ground.

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-- Ann M. Simmons