Flock camera leads to arrest
Jan. 24—The Flock camera has proven once again invaluable when it comes to fighting crime in Baldwin County.
The special notification system recently led to the arrest of 23-year-old Justin Leon Hardemon of the 8700 block of Homewood Drive, Riverdale, according to an incident report filed by Baldwin County Sheriff's Office Deputy Benjamin Johnson.
The suspect was charged with theft by receiving stolen property and possession of a firearm during the commission of or attempt to commit certain crimes, records show. Hardemon was also issued a citation for having a suspended vehicle registration.
Hardemon, who was arrested on Jan. 12, was taken to the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center and jailed.
The suspect is accused of having stolen a 2021 Prowler camper, Johnson said. The camper had been reported stolen to authorities by the owner, a Greensboro man.
Johnson said in his report that the sheriff's office received a Flock notification in reference to the stolen camper.
"The Flock notification was from a camera on state Route 24 near the Washington County line," the deputy said. "The picture shown was a Prowler camper bearing Georgia tag TU49S39. After confirming the camper was, in fact, stolen, I observed the vehicle being pulled by a gray Ford F-250 traveling west on state Route 540 (or the Fall Line Freeway) near Butler Road."
Johnson said he and other deputies joined him in later conducting a felony traffic stop on state Route 540 near Stembridge Road.
"Both the driver and passenger were detained," Johnson said.
The driver turned out to be Hardemon.
It was later learned that Hardemon was wanted on an outstanding warrant by the Greene County Sheriff's Office in Greensboro.
Hardemon denied stealing the camper, according to the incident report.
"When I asked him where he got it, he stopped speaking," the deputy said.
A passenger in the pickup truck talked with deputies at the scene. The passenger said he didn't know anything about the stolen camper and that he had been given a ride by Hardemon in Greene County.
The passenger also indicated the camper was already hooked to the truck when he accepted a ride.
During an inventory of the truck, two handguns were discovered, Johnson said.
The guns were described as a Smith&Wesson SD40 and a EAA .357 caliber revolver.
It was later revealed that the passenger was a convicted felon.
One of the guns was found under the driver's seat of the truck, while the other gun was found in the passenger side glove box.
The passenger was taken to the county jail on a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
As requested by the Greene County Sheriff's Office, deputies seized both guns, as well as the suspects' cellphones, Johnson said.
