18-Year-Old Charged After Allegedly Climbing Poles, Drilling Out Five Flock Camera Lenses in Belle Plaine
Published: September 19th, 2026.
BELLE PLAINE: —An 18-year-old man is facing a felony property damage charge after authorities allege he climbed a pole holding a Flock safety camera with a power tool and later admitted to drilling out the lenses of all five Flock cameras in Belle Plaine.
Cody William Lussier, 18, has been charged in Scott County District Court with first-degree damage to property, a felony, and misdemeanor illegal transport of a firearm in a motor vehicle.
According to the criminal complaint, a Belle Plaine police officer was dispatched to the area of Enterprise Drive and Hickory Boulevard at approximately 1:34 p.m. on Sept. 5 after a caller reported seeing a man climb a pole holding a Flock camera while carrying a power tool.
The caller reported seeing the man come down from the pole and leave in a blue Mercury Grand Marquis. When an officer initially checked the city's Flock camera system, all five cameras were reportedly listed as "healthy." Officers then physically inspected each camera and discovered that the lenses on all five had been damaged, according to the complaint.
Police traced the license plate provided by the witness to Lussier. Investigators later conducted a photo lineup, during which the witness identified Lussier's photograph with 85% certainty, the complaint alleges.
Police subsequently obtained a search warrant for Flock information associated with the vehicle's license plate. According to the complaint, the vehicle was recorded near one of the cameras at approximately 1:28 p.m. Investigators also found images saved by four of the five cameras that appeared to show a drill. Those images were recorded between approximately 1:21 p.m. and 1:34 p.m.
Later that evening, an officer spotted the vehicle passing the Jordan Police Department before it entered Ruppert Park. Officers identified Lussier as the driver and took him into custody.
After being advised of his Miranda rights, Lussier allegedly admitted to drilling the lenses of all five cameras, according to the complaint.
Police did not locate the drill inside the vehicle but allegedly found a loaded, uncased shotgun in the trunk. Lussier reportedly told officers the drill was in a shed next to his residence.
Investigators obtained another search warrant and allegedly recovered a green Ryobi 18-volt power drill from the shed.
The complaint states the exact amount of damage had not yet been determined but alleges replacing the five Flock cameras would cost more than $1,000 per camera.
Lussier is charged with first-degree damage to property, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both. He is also charged with misdemeanor illegal transport of a firearm in a motor vehicle, which carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.
The allegations contained in a criminal complaint are accusations. Lussier is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.