A camera, set up by a Sun City resident to capture images of wildlife, caught what appeared to be someone dressed as a ninja walking through his yard and those adjacent in the last few days.
The camera captured two such incidents late at night — the first at 2:09 a.m. Aug. 21 and the second at 11:04 p.m. Aug. 23.
Living a few blocks from Riverview Golf Course, Don Jerde and his wife see a variety of wildlife in their yard, including coyotes, rabbits and quail. However, this is the first time the camera photographed a person.
“Our son-in-law bought the camera so we could send him pictures of the wildlife,” Mr. Jerde said. “We set it up 5-6 times per year.”
Motion activated, the camera captured a number of animals, both day and night, before it clicked on the neighborhood ninja. Mr. Jerde said the series of photos from the first incident shows the “ninja” getting close to one of his neighbor’s homes that is for sale.
Concerned about the safety of the community, the Jerdes called Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office after each occurance.
Chris Hegstram, MCSO spokesman, said there was no indication of any criminal activity in this case, but MCSO investigators do want to identify and talk to the person pictured. Residential properties do not have to have no trespassing signs for a person to be charged, but Mr. Hegstram stressed investigators do not believe a crime was committed in this case.
“We have not seen anything like this in Sun City that our investigators are aware of, certainly not in the last two years,” he said.
However, Mr. Hegstram said there has been evidence that homes are cased by burglars.
“But we cannot connect that with this case or any of the burglaries we have investigated in Sun City,” Mr. Hegstram said.
The Jerdes remain concerned about the incident.
“We put up a motion-activated light and we are seriously considering putting up a block wall,” Mr. Jerde said.
He added there had been a series of burglaries at home a few blocks from his, but he is not aware of any that were perpetrated on his street.
“Someone roaming through a yard and dressed like that is a little shocking,” Mr. Jerde said.
While they believe no crime was committed, MCSO and Posse officials urge residents to take steps to protect themselves and their property.
“We tell people to try to think like a thief,” said Art Jenkins, Posse spokesman. “If you were going to steal something, break in, whatever, how would you do it..
He also advised residents to lock their doors, including the security door; trim bushes next to the home that provide hiding places for criminals; have a peephole in their front door; and install motion-activated lights.
- Independent Newsmedia, Inc. USA
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