KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Catching criminals on a home camera is one of the latest tech trends, but some homeowners in South Kansas City and Belton are dealing with thieves stealing their electronic line of defense.
One man was unable to get away with a camera after approaching a Belton home. In fact, he likely left in pain.
"I normally try to keep wasps away from my house but in that situation, it worked," explained Jason McDaniel.
McDaniel said a masked man, whose face was caught on camera, was stung by wasps when he was using a hatchet to try and cut out his camera.
"Hooked this security cord and that knocked the camera down," explained McDaniel, who shared the pictures with 41 Action News.
McDaniel said he was most concerned with the weapon, feet away from where his four children were sleeping.
"What’s, even more, my wife would’ve been coming and going up and down stairs getting ready to go to work," said McDaniel, who believes his wife walked outside while the armed man was still in his front yard.
McDaniel said the cameras have worked when it comes to trespassing. Now, people no longer cut through his yard.
But he's not the only one threatened with stolen cameras.
Jeff Tyler of South KC said a camera at the front of his property was cut out twice in April — once on Easter and a second time 10 days later.
His footage shows a man wearing a Famous Stars and Straps t-shirt and the culprit has tattoos along his arm. He also carries a large, scary knife.
McDaniel thinks it could be a trend.
"I think some of it is they are so brazen it’s almost a trophy," said McDaniel.
If you have any information on either incident, you're asked to call authorities.
KCPD can be reached at 816-474-8477.
