LITTLETON, Colo. (KDVR) – A Denver woman says she was wrongly accused of theft after police tracked her car using Fluke cameras.
The controversial tracking system is being criticized by people with privacy concerns, but is being praised by law enforcement authorities after police successfully used it to track and arrest criminals.
the Columbine Valley Police Chief The court has since quashed the summons issued to her, but the woman says she should never have been charged in the first place, arguing that her car was never at the address where the package was stolen.
On September 27, a Columbine Valley police officer came to Krisanna Elser’s door and issued her a summons to appear in court, accusing her of stealing a $25 package in Beau Mar. The officer told her he had doorbell video of the robbery and that he tracked her car in the area using Fluke cameras.
“It’s locked. There’s no doubt. I wouldn’t come here unless I was 100 percent sure,” Sgt. Jamie Milliman told Elser outside her front door.
The only problem, Elser says, was that she wasn’t there, and she had evidence to prove it. She collected dashcam footage from her car, a Google Maps location history, and a doorbell video showing her entering her tailor’s home at the time the package was stolen.
“He kept telling me that any evidence I had wasn’t worth it,” Elser said.
In one conversation, Milliman refused to let Elser see doorbell footage of the theft after she denied stealing the package.
“You haven’t been honest with me, so I’m not going to give you any courtesy by showing you a video when I don’t need to,” he told her.
Several weeks later, Elser was able to contact Columbine Valley Police Chief Brett Cottrell, who reviewed her evidence and voided the summons.
In an email to Elser, Cottrell wrote: “After reviewing the evidence you provided (well, by the way), we have reversed the subpoena that was issued.”
Elser says she shouldn’t have needed to prove her innocence and fears police will use the Fluke cameras too aggressively.
“It should be used correctly and with caution,” she said. “There needs to be a conversation, not rushing to accuse anyone and everyone.”
FOX31 reached out to the Columbine Valley Police Chief but did not hear back.
Now, Elser is urging her neighbors to collect their own digital evidence, in case they need it.