GLOUCESTER TWP. - A device meant for spying on your good boy while you're at work has helped police cuff an alleged bad boy in Gloucester Township.

An alert from the Furbo — a motion-activated camera allowing users to see, talk to and dispense treats to pets — showed up on a Gloucester Township couple's smartphones earlier this month.

The couple usually expects to see their dog waiting for a treat by the camera lens. But on Sept. 4, they saw a white man with a distinct armband tattoo inside their house.

More:Burglar spotted on Gloucester Twp. doorbell cam

The dog camera video was shared with police and led to the arrest of a suspect four days later, in what Lt. Mark Benton called a "peculiar" case.

"They got the alert, and they contacted police," Benton explained.

"The accused had a very specific tattoo we were able to identify him through. Through investigation, we brought him in and he was charged with the actual residential burglaries."

James K. Goodroe, 47, of Blackwood was charged Sept. 8 with burglary and theft; he was released on a criminal summons.

The real-time live video captured by the device cut down the usual delay that exists between the time a burglary occurs and when it's discovered by a homeowner, the lieutenant said.

"You lose evidence, you lose the opportunity to get out and talk to people, and you can't get out to pawn shops as it's happening," Benton said.

"The earlier we can start an investigation, the more successful we can be."

In April, Gloucester Township police arrested and charged a Lindenwold woman with an Easter Sunday burglary after the victims allegedly spotted Laura Declemente, 32, on their doorbell camera while they were out. A neighbor snapped a photo of the suspect and the black SUV she drove.

Benton recommends that homeowners in any South Jersey town ask their police department if it keeps a registry of security cameras. A device like Furbo or the Ring doorbell systems also may capture activity useful for investigating other crimes.

"If there is a crime in the area, not necessarily your area, your video may have caught something you may not even know about," he said.

Carly Q. Romalino; @carlyqromalino; 856-486-2476; cromalino@gannettnj.com

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