Chula Vista police officers quickly responded to an alert on May 31 for a stolen Jeep Wrangler. An Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) system identified the vehicle, setting officers in motion, the Chula Vista Police Department reported. The location pinpointed was near Broadway and D Street, where the department's Drone as a First Responder (DFR) system took to the skies, enabling officers to locate the Jeep discreetly in the 300 Block of Broadway.

According to the police department's Facebook page, surveillance through the DFR showed a suspect approaching the stolen vehicle, which was later joined by three individuals. Moments unfolded, and two of the group entered the Jeep, a decision that would soon lead to their detain at the hands of law enforcement.

Relying on the live feed from the drone, officers coordinated their approach. Powered by a K9 unit, they managed to detain all four suspects without any reported altercations. The technology utilized by the Chula Vista Police Department meant the suspects were likely unaware of their surveillance, and thus, their arrest was without incident.

The recovery of the vehicle unearthed more than a simple case of theft. In addition to the Jeep, which was originally stolen out of Los Angeles, the officers discovered over 11 grams of meth, drug paraphernalia, and a slew of items indicative of fraud and identity theft, including devices employed "to produce counterfeit cards," according to the department's social media update.