Six Dayton residents face charges in an attempted vehicle theft after a Dublin homeowner spotted two people trying to enter a vehicle in his driveway early Friday, Oct. 2, police said.

The resident spotted two people attempting to enter a vehicle parked in his driveway, yelled at them and called Dublin Police, the city said in a news release published Wednesday, Oct. 7. The suspects fled before officers arrived.

When police reached the scene, they found the vehicle still running. Investigators determined someone had created a key fob for it.

Officers used the resident's description of the suspects to search Dublin's network of Flock automated license plate reader cameras, which identified a potential suspect vehicle. Dublin Police then shared that information with the Hilliard Division of Police, extending the search beyond city limits.

Hilliard officers located the vehicle at a gas station a short time later and detained six people without incident. They were turned over to Dublin Police.

A search of the vehicle turned up tools police associate with vehicle thefts and a phone displaying directions to Wyandotte Woods Boulevard, according to the city.

All six suspects were charged with attempted theft of a motor vehicle and possession of criminal tools.

The city’s release did not identify the suspects.

"We believe we not only interrupted the activity reported in Dublin, but likely prevented additional thefts here and in neighboring communities," Dublin Police Chief Justin Páez said in the release.

The response involved Dublin patrol officers, detectives, supervisors, the Northwest Regional Emergency Communications Center (NRECC) and Hilliard police.

How Flock cameras work in Dublin

Dublin has 25 Flock cameras across the city, installed in spring 2024, Dublin Ohio Daily reported in July. The cameras check every passing vehicle's license plate in real time against law enforcement hotlists of stolen vehicles, missing persons and wanted suspects.

The department has logged more than 138 investigative successes since the cameras went live, according to NBC4. Dublin limits access to trained law enforcement personnel and conducts regular audits. The city does not share camera data with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Department of Homeland Security, according to a city statement reported by NBC4 in August.

The Oct. 2 case also highlights cross-agency coordination. Hilliard's own Flock camera program was paused by its City Council in September amid privacy concerns, according to 10TV. The Dublin press release does not specify whether Hilliard's cameras played a role or whether only Dublin's system was used to track the suspect vehicle.

Dublin Police reported at a Feb. 23 City Council meeting that vehicle theft numbers in 2025 held steady compared with the prior year, while theft from vehicles, breaking and entering and burglary all declined.

Residents who observe suspicious activity can call Dublin Police at 614-889-1112.