Benton County Suspect Thought He Was Hiding from Police Drone

A call about someone trespassing at a commercial property in the Benton City area turned into a search for a suspect who apparently didn't want to be found.

There was a little history here, too. Deputies say the same person had been seen trespassing at the same commercial property in the past, but they were never able to locate the individual.

Get our free mobile app

This time, things went differently.

Credit Benton County, WA Sheriff's Office via Facebook

Suspect Hid When Benton County Deputies Arrived

The Benton County Sheriff's Office says deputies were dispatched to the property after a trespass was reported in progress.

When deputies arrived, the suspect initially managed to stay out of sight.

That's where some technology came in handy to find them this time.

The Benton County Sheriff's Office deployed one of its UAVs, or drones, equipped with thermal imaging to search the area. That allowed deputies to look for heat signatures even when the person wasn't easily visible from the ground in the dark.

The search paid off, and the drone lit him up like a candle in the dark.

Deputies found the suspect using the drone and were able to take them into custody.

Unlike the first time, the suspect was arrested for trespassing.

Thermal Drone Images Show How Easy He Was to Spot

The Sheriff's Office also released several thermal images from the drone search.

Thermal cameras are very useful during searches because they detect heat rather than relying on visible light. That gives law enforcement another way to locate someone who is hiding or difficult to see from the ground..

Instead, they glow and make an easy target for police.

The Sheriff's Office didn't release additional details about the suspect's identity they caught with the drone or the exact commercial property involved.