Sylvania Township police block streets after homeowners’ report seeing person on camera inside house

SYLVANIA TWP., Ohio (WTVG) - Sylvania Township police blocked off streets near Van Fleet and Bonsels Parkways Tuesday morning after a homeowner said they saw someone on camera inside their house.

Lt. Ben Bostater of the Sylvania Township Police Department said officers received a call about a burglary at about 11:16 a.m.

“The homeowners advised that they saw an individual on their camera inside their home,” Bostater said.

Police set up a perimeter while neighbors looked on. A command center was set up, and the Special Response Team surrounded the house.

A neighbor said his wife called him after seeing the situation.

“My wife called me. She seen it, and she goes, ‘Don’t go outside. Something might happen,’” the neighbor said.

Officers brought the homeowners’ dog out of the house.

Police tried to use a drone to speak with anyone who might have been inside the home.

Bostater said the drone has audio capability and that negotiators in a van tried to speak with whoever could be in the residence.

“We did not get any response,” Bostater said.

He said the Special Response Team, along with the drone, cleared the home.

Police still do not know if anyone was ever in the home.

Bostater said he did not personally see the camera video of the person in the home. He said the homeowner spoke to officers about it.

Detectives are investigating. The streets reopened at about 1:30 p.m.

Police declined to comment on whether there were signs of forced entry while detectives investigate. A woman with the homeowner also declined to comment.

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