Thug FindIR helps police corner suspects

JEFFERSON COUNTY, AR - It's happened in every deputy's career more than once. He pulls over someone who later takes off in a dark place.

"[He] bailed out, ran up into this building,” Sgt. Andy Hoots of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department said. “I've not been in there yet."

But never before have these deputies had the Thug FindIR handy.

"It is kind of humorous,” Hoots said. “Thug findIR.”

Here's how it works: deputies go into an abandoned building, quietly and purposely.

Moments later, the device picks up the sprinter huddled on the floor.

The Thug FindIR is attracted to body heat.

"You can see him plainly with the infrared," Sgt. Hoots said.

The infrared feature shows where the person is and what they have on them.

"You can see he's even got a weapon even in the darkness," Sgt. Hoots said.

Whether in a building, an alley, or even in the woods, the Thug FindIR can spot a person up to 800 feet away.

"They're in the dark, and we're in the dark but we have the advantage because we can see them, but they can't see us."

And let's just say the bad guy drops something as police are chasing him. Officers will know exactly what he dropped using the Thug FindIR.

The savvy tool can also help in other searches.

"This time of the year hunters get lost in the woods, missing kids wander off in the woods," Sgt. Thaddeus Arnold said.

It even records and snaps pictures.

The Thug FindIR turns the game of hide-and-go seek up a notch.