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An attempted break-in at a home in Ohio was thwarted because the homeowner recently installed a Ring doorbell camera. Megan Allen decided to install the camera because her neighbor was making her feel uncomfortable.
"He had offered to mow the lawn and came across as just trying to be a friendly neighbor, but his vibes were very, just aggressive to say good morning and good night, and beautiful lady, this and that," Allen told WLWT.
She installed the camera on Friday (November 5) and was woken up by an alarm early Monday morning. When she checked the camera, she saw her neighbor, 29-year-old Jolge Alberto Chavez-Reynozo, trying to force open her front door with a knife.
She called 911, and Chavez-Reynozo fled as officers arrived. He was detained in the woods following a brief chase. He told officers he was trying to protect his neighbor from another person.
"He didn't fight at all. He just gave us his hands, and we were able to handcuff him and take him into custody," Newtown police officer Andrew Niederschmidt said.
Chavez-Reynozo was charged with attempted burglary, obstructing official business, criminal trespass, and carrying a concealed weapon.
Newtown police Chief Tom Synan praised Allen and credited her recently installed doorbell camera with keeping Allen and her family safe.
"Because she was calm, because she had that early warning system and because she was able to give us a lot of information, it helped us not only apprehend the suspect, but she helped herself and protected herself and her family," Synan said.