The brazen burglary happened Sunday morning in the King's Manor subdivision.
It was 9:30am, but a pack of thieves was undaunted and proceeded to steal the 200-pound generator out of the bed of Tom Kessner's pickup truck, all while he was inside his home.
"I actually went out there already, and then when I walked back out again, my tailgate was down and the generator was gone," Kessner said.
Video footage shows the first suspect inspecting the generator. Joined by his friends, the suspect is then seen taking the item from the back of Kessner's truck and loading it into another truck, which then speeds away.
It took 52 seconds, from the moment they drove up until they were out of the driveway.
"The other camera shows me in the kitchen when they were doing it," Kessner said. "My dog didn't bark. I didn't hear anything."
But his home security camera was outside, catching every moment. That camera provided investigators with more than just images of the thieves and their getaway vehicle. It also helped them find physical evidence.
"The first thing he honed in on was where they touched the vehicle," Kessner said.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office confirms three sets of fingerprints are now being tested. And that means the grinches who stole Kessner's $1,500 generator just before Christmas may not remain free for long.
"It definitely paid for itself. I hope I get my stuff back, but if anything, they'll be in trouble," Kessner said.
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