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GPS Bracelet Helps Locate Sex Offender for a robbery crime - Top Story on Local News in Evansville, IN
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GPS Bracelet Helps Locate Sex Offender - view video
Dated: 05/01/2007 16:21:49 Updated: 05/01/2007 17:43:38



story by: Alan Cavanna

EVANSVILLE - Saturday night at a Circle K on First Avenue in Evansville, a burglar broke in and made off with some cash. Reports show officers used surveillance tape and other clues to arrest this man, Derek Levi. But this isn't his first brush with the law.

Levi is also a convicted sex offender and one of 25 people in the county to wear a GPS tracking bracelet. So when deputies went back and checked the record, they found him at the gas station at the time of the crime.

"You can see at 23:24, it puts him right there on First Avenue," Williams explained, pointing to a map. Williams said while the GPS bracelet did not lead to the arrest itself, it's a virtually nail in the coffin when it comes to a conviction.

"It did do its job," Williams said, adding, "We were able to go back, take a look and sure enough, at that exact time and place... there he was. Bingo!"

The GPS program is funded by the state for the next year. Williams told NEWS 25 cases like this will help if the department ever wants to bring it to a county level.

We asked Williams, "Do you think this answers any of the questions of opponents saying 'this is an invasion of privacy', because it did work here?"

"It did work in this case," Williams said. " And I understand why some would say this is an invasion of privacy, but remember, we're not putting these devices on people who haven't broken the law."

Levi is back in jail. Williams said now that he has an extra bracelet, he's looking to choose someone else to put it on.