The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Eye on Crime cameras has led to hundreds of arrests over the course of the last two years.
There are more than 100 Eye on Crime cameras located at different intersections within 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 even arrive at a scene.
"Our Eye on Crime cameras help us identify the bad guys, recover stolen vehicles, and in some cases, solve crimes," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "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. 219 people were also arrested. The year before, 184 stolen vehicles worth almost $1.5 million were recovered, while 139 arrests were made in part from the assistance of Eye on Crime cameras.
HCSO has used the Eye on Crime camera system since 2010. You can view a Public Service Announcement (PSA) on the system here.