COLUMBUS, Ohio — A house in Columbus’ Westgate neighborhood was broken into Monday afternoon, and neighbors not only caught the suspect with their outdoor security cameras, they also stepped in to catch the thief.
The Westgate Watch group is a community of people who have cameras installed outside their homes in an effort to keep the community safe and hold criminals accountable.
"The cameras that provide the best view of my yard aren't mine, they're actually my neighbors,” a neighbor from the group said.
That neighbor tells 10TV he joined the Westgate Watch group and installed cameras at his home shortly after moving to the community.
"We had a lawnmower stolen out of our garage, we had a car that was hit on the street,” the neighbor said.
The increase in cameras on the streets of Columbus at homes and businesses is assisting police, and now neighbors, in catching criminals.
On Monday, a man checked his camera and noticed another man creeping around a home next door around 12 p.m. The man eventually left the area, and the concerned neighbor posted about the suspicious activity in the Westgate Watch Facebook group, which put others in the neighborhood on alert.
"I looked at our camera footage to see if that person had been in our alley or had crossed our street,” a woman who lives nearby said.
Later that afternoon, cameras at other homes on the street caught the suspect, who Columbus police identified as Eric Campfield, returning to that home. This time, Campfield entered the home, and a neighbor called the police, which police confirmed was at 2:30 p.m. Several other neighbors also took action, some of them parking their cars around Campfield’s car, which was parked outside, to block it in. Others stood by outside, waiting for Campfield to come back outside.
"There was a recent fire in the home,” a man who lives nearby said.
Some neighbors said they suspect the recent fire at that home is why it was targeted. Video of the home shows the house still boarded up.
When Campfield finally exited the home, several neighbors detained him.
"He had gloves on, he had a bag full of stuff,” a man who lives nearby said.
Once the suspect was detained, neighbors made another call to police at 3:15 p.m. Columbus police confirmed a crew did not arrive at the scene until 4:30 p.m.
"We still struggle with police response time in an unacceptable way,” one neighbor said.
Community members said they hope their continued efforts to crack down on crime through these cameras will spark change needed in their community.
"Our officers here in precinct 19 can continue to identify to their leaders what's happening so they can get the resources that they need to fight what's happening,” a woman who lives nearby said.
Columbus police said the first called on Monday told dispatch the house had burned down a while ago and was boarded up. Police said that’s what likely why response from crews was not high priority.
Columbus police advise everyone to contact law enforcement first in an emergency.
Campfield, is being charged with burglary and is currently being held on a $15,000 bond.