Sheriff's Eye On Crime Cams Led To Recovery Of 226 Stolen Cars

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Car thieves might want to think twice before boosting a Ferrari or Maserati in Hillsborough County. Big Brother could be watching.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office's Eye on Crime cameras have led to hundreds of arrests over the last two years.

More than 100 Eye on Crime cameras are located at intersections throughout Hillsborough County. The cameras, which are mounted to utility poles, act as a virtual backup to patrol deputies who are responding to crime scenes.

Behind-the-scenes personnel who watch the camera system are able to relay information to deputies before they arrive at a scene.

"Our Eye on Crime cameras help us identify the bad guys, recover stolen vehicles and, in some cases, solve crimes," Sheriff Chad Chronister said. "They provide us with an extra set of eyes in the sky to protect and serve our community."

In 2020, 226 stolen vehicles worth more than $3.4 million dollars were recovered using the Eye on Crime cameras, and 219 people were arrested, the agency said. The year before, 184 stolen vehicles worth almost $1.5 million were recovered, while 139 arrests were made with assistance of Eye on Crime cameras, the agency said.

The sheriff's office has used the Eye on Crime camera system since 2010.

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