Virginia Highland Break-In Caught on Home Surveillance Camera

ATLANTA - A Virginia Highland homeowner credits a popular neighborhood website with leading to an arrest after he said he posted surveillance video of an intruder breaking into his home over the weekend.

Atlanta Police did not confirm to FOX 5 News that they had made an arrest, but Derek Walls said that an investigator on his case called him Monday to report the intruder had been arrested.

In surveillance video you can see the intruder kicking in Walls' front door of his home on Frederica Street. It happened Saturday at around 10:30 a.m. At one point the intruder grabs what appears to be a crowbar.

"It is my personal space," said Walls. "It is the home I come home to everyday after work and to see it violated like that, to see someone kicking in the front door, it is a little scary and it makes me feel a little uneasy.”

Walls said the intruder made his way inside, but does not believe he took anything. Walls said he did break a lock on his closet.

"If he is willing to do this in broad daylight, might as well let the neighbors know that something like this is actually happening in our neighborhood and hopefully prevent it from happening again," said Walls.

Walls took matters into his own hands and posted the surveillance video on "Nextdoor," a social network for neighborhood communities. His post reached more than 3,500 people and it paid off.

"Got an alert today that someone had saw (sic) the guy in Midtown and called the police over to him and they were able to arrest him," said Walls.

Earlier this month, surveillance video helped Atlanta Police arrest five suspects they say are connected to at least two armed robberies in the Midtown area. Walls hopes his neighbors will see the benefits of home surveillance cameras and how it can help fight crime.

"Crime doesn't really have any boundaries and it happens everywhere," said Walls. "If you put a security system or a surveillance camera, something, you are taking those measures to protect yourself and one day it could prove to be valuable like today," said Walls.