'I work hard all my life to have what I have:' Thief snatches man's home surveillance camera

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Home surveillance cameras are something Antonio Garcia says he saved up for almost a year. To wake up and find them missing was devastating.

He says even though the cameras were taken from his front porch, the thief wasn't able to get away with the video it recorded.

"He walked up to my door came behind the cameras and all the sudden everything went black. He put it in his coat pocket," Garcia said.

Garcia has lived in the Oak Park Senior Villas for almost 4 years but this is the first time he's fallen victim to theft.

"I walked outside the first thing I noticed the cameras were gone," he said.

He says it was 9 p.m. on Monday night. His home surveillance cameras were stolen from his front porch.

But the cameras recorded automatically and sent video clips to Garcia's account before going offline.

"I was upset, my goodness. I work hard all my life to have what I have and to give my grand kids whatever I can afford," he said.

Garcia says he spent more than $250 on the cameras and has had them almost three years.

He and his fellow neighbors keep an extra watchful eye during the holidays.

"I see activity coming in all the time at all hours of the morning," he said.

Fresno police report property theft is down 30 percent in Southeast Fresno, but they say it's important to stay vigilant.

"I hope they catch him, or at least be man enough and bring them back," Garcia said.

Neighbors have told Garcia they think they know who the person in the video is. He's working with police but says if the cameras are returned he won't press any charges.