[UPDATE BELOW] An Upper East Side man spotted two burglars breaking into his apartment yesterday, using a smart phone security device. The duo allegedly stole a bracelet and are still on the lam.
Reddit user wheelzr posted the below video showing two men entering his East '70s apartment through a window yesterday. The second man can be heard saying "Run, we've been spotted" as soon as he gets inside, and the two flee.
The video was captured using Canary, a home security system that allows you to survey your apartment through your smart phone, and alerts you when something is amiss. And though the Reddit poster's experience feels a bit like an ad for the system, the NYPD confirmed there was indeed a burglary on the UES at around 12:53 p.m. yesterday, and that the victim was able to use a security phone app to see the suspects breaking in.
The incident was one of three burglaries in the victim's precinct yesterday according to the NYPD.
Police say the suspects stole an $80 white metal bracelet and are currently at large. The Reddit poster has not yet responded to request for comment.
Update 1:34 p.m.: The above Redditor, who wishes to be identified only by the first name "Danny," tells us he purchased the Canary system about two months ago after his friend got one. He says his apartment has never been broken into in the three years he's lived there, and he's furious it was so easy for the burglars to access. "I pay stupid amounts of money to rent this apartment and a shoddy window is the reason [I'm] here right now," he told us in an email.
He noted that the suspects were scared off by a Good Samaritan neighbor who noticed them. "I'm EXTREMELY grateful that a guy downstairs was taking out trash and looked up and yelled at them. I didn't hit the canary alarm button immediately (called police first) and he saved the day by just being a good neighbor," he said.
Danny says the police have seen at least one of the suspects before, but he is unsure if they currently have any leads.
