Last week, Maryland’s Cecil County Sheriff’s Office used an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to recover nearly $400,000 worth of stolen construction equipment, which also led to the arrest of the culprit. The New Jersey State Police, Pennsylvania State Police and Delaware Fish and Wildlife Natural Resources Police were all investigating this case—the construction equipment had been stolen across all four states.

Sheriff Scott Adams, who has his Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 drone pilot’s certification and license, deployed the UAV from Cecil County headquarters after obtaining a warrant to obtain aerial views of the properties in question. Sheriff Adams and his colleagues were able to spot 17 pieces of construction equipment at one property and three pieces at another. So far, $243,000 worth of construction equipment has been returned to its owners.