Police: Woman caught on door bell security camera breaking into South Jersey home

Gloucester Township, NJ (WTXF) - Police say a woman was caught on a door bell security camera breaking into South Jersey home in broad daylight.

It was 3:30 on Easter Sunday afternoon and the woman at the door was not invited for holiday dinner. She was an uninvited guest who police say was caught on a door bell security camera breaking into a home in Gloucester Township.

"It's really a frightening thing. Luckily, that doorbell I would have never known. We wouldn't have been home until later. God only knows what would have happened," the homeowner told FOX 29.

"Broad daylight--afternoon burglary--you're talking Easter Sunday," Lt. Mark Benton of the Gloucester Township said.

The homeowners, who asked not to be identified, were away enjoying Easter dinner with family when they got an alert on their phone from their doorbell camera back home. They saw a strange woman at their front door.

"I then see her try to pick my lock. She grabbed something and now she's coming through the door into the house," the homeowner said.

Her husband quickly called a neighbor and police. The neighbor and his wife went to the home and were surprised to find the front door locked. He had a key, opened the front door and saw the woman on the second floor.

"I said you need to come down here right now," the Good Samaritan neighbor told FOX 29.

That's when the neighbor and police say 32-year-old Laura Declemente, of Lindenwold, came downstairs and was confronted by the neighbor.

"I took out my phone and took her picture and I said, 'Leave the house right now,'" the neighbor explained.

According to police, the woman fled as the neighbor snapped pictures of her getaway vehicle. Police quickly identified the alleged intruder with help from other police departments and arrested her on burglary charges. As for their Good Samaritan neighbor.

"I don't have enough praise to give him. He's a hero. Really helped us out," the homeowners said.

"This was a win because he got a great shot of her and a picture of the vehicle," Lt. Benton said.

And that high-tech doorbell camera.

"It's probably the one of the best investments we ever made in terms of our home--really paid off," the homeowner said."it was life saver."

Police say Declemente was charged with burglary in the third degree. Police don't recommend that you confront anyone like the Good Samaritan did--just monitor the situation and call police. Even the Good Samaritan admitted he'd probably handled it a little differently the next time around.

No one was hurt and nothing was stolen.