Man installs home camera, catches neighbor in burglary

burglary
Stock image | St. George News

WASHINGTON CITY – Police arrested a 37-year-old woman Monday on three felony counts of burglary of a dwelling after she was allegedly caught on camera unlawfully entering a Washington City residence and stealing prescription medications on multiple occasions.

After a man became suspicious that someone was entering his home and helping themselves to his belongings, he installed a trail camera, according to a probable cause statement filed by the Washington City Police Department in support of the arrest.

Rosanna Opualanilily Stroud, of Washington, Utah, booking photo posted Jan. 18, 2016 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
Rosanna Opualanilily Stroud, of Washington, Utah, booking photo posted Jan. 18, 2016 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

It was by that camera that the man discovered a neighbor had been breaking into his home.

On Nov. 29, 2015, a woman can be seen entering the man’s residence uninvited at 12:48 a.m., the report stated. The woman was dressed in dark clothing and can be seen looking around with a flashlight and looking through the kitchen area while the man’s family was upstairs sleeping.

On this occasion, prescription medications were stolen, according to the statement.

On Dec. 17 and 20, 2015, the woman entered the residence at 5:17 p.m. and 11:23 p.m. On these dates, the woman can be seen going through the kitchen cupboards, the report stated. During this time frame, the man was out of town with his family, but noted prescription medications were again stolen.

“In the trail camera pictures the suspect can be seen dressed the same each time in dark clothing, wearing a beanie hat and using a flashlight,” the arresting officer wrote in the statement. “The suspect does not turn on the lights in the residence.”

According to the statement, the man was able to recognize the woman caught on camera as one of his neighbors, who was identified as 37-year-old Rosanna Opualanilily Stroud.

“The entry method is unknown,” the officer wrote, “as no forced entry could be seen.”

When police interviewed Stroud, she admitted to “having been in the residence on several occasions as a neighbor/friend to the victim,” the officer wrote. “She denied any uninvited entry but could not respond to the pictures of being there late at night and just missing the (alleged) victim’s girlfriend coming down the stairs to the kitchen. At the time, the girlfriend was not aware the suspect had just been in the residence. It was discovered after review of the camera’s pictures were done.”

During the interview with police, the report stated, Stroud said she has a prescription for the same types of medications that were stolen.

Stroud was arrested and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

She was charged with three counts of third-degree felony burglary of a dwelling. In Utah, a third-degree felony conviction carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

Judge Eric Ludlow, of the 5th District Court, ordered $10,000 bail for Stroud’s release pending trial.

She was found indigent by the court during her initial court appearance Tuesday and will be represented by court-appointed attorney Ariel Taylor. She is scheduled to make her next court appearance Feb. 8.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!

4 Comments

  • knobe January 22, 2016 at 7:43 am

    We used to have one of these thieves who looted the town for decades but
    was hard to prove until he got caught selling stolen items .
    He was born & raised here in southern Utah & spent 40 years here .
    These cameras are one of the Best ways to put a stop to these thieves with NO conscience .
    Sadly most of these bottom feeders are our ‘legal’ neighbors .

    !

  • Proud Rebel January 22, 2016 at 7:55 am

    A Cat Burglar right here in good ole Dixie. What is this place coming to? Doing a “hot prowl” seems to me like a very good way to get yourself shot. smh

    • .... January 22, 2016 at 11:46 am

      Just people trying to make ends meet after paying their 10 percent on Sundays

  • Ron January 22, 2016 at 10:18 am

    I would invite a burglar come into my home like this…..my Rotti needs a playmate…..or chewie.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.