February 7, 2008
Idaho man's good citizenship marred by incriminating video surveillance footage
Who ever thought that holiday cheer could turn on someone so quickly? Michael Millhouse of Lewiston, Idaho is learning the chilling effects of publicity this week as he begins his 30-day sentence of house arrest for stealing a woman's purse.
Last December, the Lewiston Tribune ran a photo of Millhouse on the front cover, painting holiday murals and decorations on store windows in downtown Lewiston. His smile and distinctive blue checkered coat looked familiar to the Tribune's copy editors - they quickly realized that Millhouse was pictured later in the paper - not distributing presents or baking fruitcake - but in a still from a video surveillance camera with a caption asking for help identifying the man in question. Millhouse was in that photo too, sticking a wallet into his recognizable blue checkered coat.
Millhouse was caught red-handed as it may seem - he was charged with third degree theft after being identified by the eagle-eyed editors, who notified the police.
Surveillance cameras may not be able to identify crooks in the process yet, but there's something to be said about how quickly Millhouse was identified. Security cameras, like the one that captured Millhouse in the act, can help retail stores and organizations of any stripe keep their buildings, facilities, even employees and customers, safe.
Posted by Jennifer on February 7, 2008 12:04 AM | Comments (0)
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