WILLIAMSVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — According to Sangamon County authorities, a recent drone initiative within the sheriff’s department was instrumental in thwarting a burglary attempt at the Viper Mine coal plant on Thursday night.
At approximately 11 p.m., the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office received a report indicating a burglary might be underway at the Viper Mine site in Williamsville, as detailed in a Monday morning release by county spokesperson Jeff Wilhite.
Deputies arrived at the location and utilized a drone to scout for potential suspects. The drone detected an unlocked door at one of the facilities and picked up sounds from inside. Upon entering, deputies were alerted by the sound of shattering glass and observed a suspect, identified as 53-year-old Daniel Gregg Jr. of Springfield, fleeing through a shattered window.
The drone operator later located Gregg concealed along a nearby treeline, leading to his arrest by deputies. Wilhite noted that Gregg had suffered cuts on his arm, prompting deputies to apply a tourniquet until EMS could provide further assistance.
Deputies found the second suspect, 30-year-old Maria Genovese of Springfield, inside the building, and they took her into custody without incident.
Inside the building, various tools linked to the burglary were seized as evidence. Wilhite mentioned that significant damage had been inflicted on the building’s electrical and plumbing systems, with repair costs estimated by a Viper Mine employee to be around $80,000.
Both Genovese and Gregg were subsequently taken to the Sangamon County Jail, where they faced charges related to burglary, substantial property damage, and the possession of burglary tools.
The county credited the success of the drones to a recent initiative by Sheriff Paula Crouch. Earlier this month, Crouch secured drones for the sheriff’s office and since then, four deputies have completed advanced training; they are now certified to operate the drones in tactical, search and rescue operations.
Wilhite noted that this is the second successful use of the drones since the implementation of the program; on Sept. 12, deputies used the drones to safely locate a missing person in a remote area of Sangamon County.
“The drones allow our deputies to work more safely and effectively,” Crouch said. “By embracing technology, we are giving our team the resources to protect the community and respond to situations in ways that were not possible before. Criminals need to understand that we will use every tool available to track them down and hold them accountable.”
Sangamon County officials shared drone video footage from the Viper Mine burglary response on their YouTube channel. The footage captures the moment Gregg surrendered to deputies after being tracked by the drone operator.
