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Ring security camera catches man licking intercom

Better break out the disinfectant.

Sean Keane Former Senior Writer
Sean knows far too much about Marvel, DC and Star Wars, and poured this knowledge into recaps and explainers on CNET. He also worked on breaking news, with a passion for tech, video game and culture.
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Sean Keane
2 min read
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This man reportedly licked an intercom for hours.

KHOU/Screenshot by CNET

Sometimes security cameras can reveal disturbing realities.

Early Saturday morning in Salinas, California, a family's Ring security camera caught a man creeping up to the front door and licking the intercom speaker, local police confirmed.

Previous reports suggested that he was licking the doorbell, but Salinas police said it was actually the speaker.

A minute-long video posted by local news outlet KHOU revealed some of the strange antics committed by the suspect, identified by police as Roberto Daniel Arroyo, 33.

That minute, however, was only a fraction of the whole incident -- he stuck around for hours. Arroyo is seen on video for the first time at around 2 a.m. and last just before 5 a.m., police said. During that time he is in and out of camera range, police said.

The homeowners -- Sylvia and Dave Dungan -- were out of town at the time, but the Ring camera alerted them to the movement at their front door, CBS Sacramento reported. The Dungans' children were reportedly home, but didn't wake up during the strange visit. CNET was unable to reach the Dungans for comment.

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"You kind of laugh about it afterwards because technically he didn't do anything," Sylvia Dungan told KION, another local news outlet. "This just kind of reinforces how important it is to have security within your home."

Arroyo reportedly relieved himself in the family's front yard. Police said he prowled a neighbor's house as well.

Police said he faces charges of prowling, violation of probation and theft -- he allegedly removed several extension cords connected to Christmas lights in front of the house.

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Ring, Amazon's smart-doorbell company, lets you share, view and comment on video clips shot by the video doorbells and security cameras via its Neighbors app, which is aimed at making home security more social. The incident in Salinas no doubt got people talking.

Ring came under criticism over a pair of facial recognition-related patent applications in December, with the American Civil Liberties Union expressing concern about the power such technology would give Amazon.

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