Video Doorbell Helps Police Nab Suspect in Pasadena Hot Prowl Burglary, 3 Car Break-Ins

A doorbell video camera alerted a Pasadena resident to a home intruder early Friday, then helped lead police to a suspect, authorities said.

Upon his arrest, police soon determined the same man was also responsible for three car burglaries in the same neighborhood along Sunset Avenue, north of Orange Grove Boulevard, Pasadena police Lt. Anthony Russo said.

John Rodriguez, 19, of Pasadena was booked on suspicion of residential  burglary with a person present and three counts of auto burglary, the lieutenant said.

The resident first called police about 2:40 a.m. to report seeing a stranger in front of the home’s Ring video doorbell, he said. The resident, who was upstairs, did not realize at the time that the man had just broken into the house.

Responding officers discovered a first-floor window left open, with its screen removed, and saw the interior of the home had been ransacked, Russo said.

Upon watching the video footage capturing the suspect’s image, officer’s noticed “distinctive clothing” and began searching the area for the suspect, he said. Rodriguez was soon found nearby and ultimately arrested in connection with the burglaries.

“During that investigation, the officer learned of three additional vehicle burgles that occurred in the area,” Russo said. Evidence linked Rodriguez to all three, he added.

According to Los Angeles County booking records, bail for Rodriguez was set at $70,000 pending his initial appearance in Los Angeles County Superior Court.