Ring cameras capture chance moments

Lowcountry residents are catching more than just package deliveries and visitors on their Ring doorbell cameras. 

 

From wildlife encounters to high-speed chases, these devices have recorded all kinds of unexpected moments – and there’s plenty of footage to prove it.

 

Charleston resident Julia Chandler’s camera has captured more than just the usual comings and goings. One night, she woke up to a police chase that ended right at her doorstep.

 

“It was a high-speed chase and four teenagers hopped out, ditching the still-moving car in my yard,” Chandler remembered. “We were sleeping when our camera went off.” 

 

She and her family had installed cameras after a break-in at their previous home, and now rely on them for “security and peace of mind.”  

 

The footage showed the moving car colliding with her mailbox. “You can tell by the video, God was protecting our cars and house,” Chandler said. 

 

For Lowcountry resident Susan Scampini, the unexpected visitor caught on camera was much smaller but no less terrifying. 

 

“It was the middle of the night and my phone kept dinging, notifying me that the doorbell camera detected movement,” Scampini said. 

 

Curious, she checked the video feed to find a giant wolf spider staring directly into the lens. 

 

“There is nothing scarier at 3 a.m. than a huge wolf spider looking into your doorbell camera! I just about had a small heart attack,” she said. 

 

Thankfully, the spider scurried off before morning, but the video remains a spine-chilling moment for Scampini.

 

While some residents capture scary moments, others use their camera for more peaceful observations. Chris Van Veen uses his camera for a different kind of surveillance – watching bluebirds. 

 

“I’ve always loved birds. It’s something my sisters and I got from our mom up in New England,” he said.

 

After moving to Charleston, Van Veen’s kids surprised him with a bluebird box equipped with a Ring camera, where he monitors their nesting process. “This is my third year having it, and the birds don’t seem to mind being part of their own ‘Truman Show,’” he joked. 

 

The footage has allowed him to watch as eggs hatch and baby birds grow, creating his own backyard nature documentary.

 

For others, Ring cameras have helped solve small mysteries or captured clumsy moments. 

 

Clements Ferry resident Julie Dispaltro has captured everything from family injuries to neighborhood shenanigans.

 

“We’ve got my kid breaking her ankle (on camera), then falling again on crutches weeks after breaking her ankle,” she said. “Drivers running into my mailbox, dumb conversations, dogs darting outside... we’ve seen it all.” 

 

While her initial intent was security, the footage has been helpful in other ways. “We can avoid solicitation, pull up footage if needed for investigations like car break-ins, and check on neighbors since our view shows their houses,” Dispaltro said.

 

While most install Ring cameras for safety, these devices have delivered much more, offering glimpses into the moments that unfold when no one’s watching.