Fighting crime from the sky

LANCASTER - It could spot burglars breaking into homes from five miles away.Sue Doyle and Kevin Modesti in the Daily News.

It could record unsuspecting bank robbers making their getaways. It could detect car crashes and help police decide how to respond.

But would it also take pictures of you sunbathing in your backyard?

Lancaster officials are developing an "eye in the sky" surveillance system consisting of a camera attached to an airplane that would fly over the city 24 hours a day on the lookout for crime. It would relay instant footage to sheriff's deputies on the ground, capturing images up to five miles away from an elevation of 5,000 feet.