Drone helps Elk Grove Police apprehend vehicle burglary suspect
Suspect in custody at the Sacramento County Jail on $1 million bail.
With the assistance of their drones, Elk Grove Police officers tracked and apprehended a car burglary suspect.
At 2:55 am on Tuesday, October 22, Elk Grove Police officers responded to an in-progress vehicle burglary on Romanzo Way. Responding officers deployed the drone and were able to locate a suspect leaving the targeted vehicle and entering their own vehicle.
Police officer TTEMPTED stopped the vehicle driven by Vertrail McNeal Payner, 31. The suspect led officers on a short vehicle pursuit and fled on foot before he was taken into custody.
The police report notes, "The drone was able to capture the suspect hiding on a nearby off-ramp to the freeway. Payne took off running again, and the drone followed him as he hid in an empty vehicle in a nearby business. Payne was surrounded and eventually surrendered to officers."
The goods stolen from the vehicle were recovered and returned to the victim. Payne was booked at the Sacramento County Main Jail on several felony charges, including evading and vehicle burglary, and is being held on $1,000,000 bail.
The suspect will be arraigned tomorrow.
