A Charlotte County Sheriff patrol helicopter helped deputies track down a stolen truck in the woods.
"Went out and within just a couple of minutes found the stolen car that the deputies had been looking for a couple of hours," said Robert Stehl, the chief pilot at CCSO.
The helicopter patrol listens for calls when they can assist ground patrols.
"We treat the helicopter like a flying patrol car we don't have set schedules or routes that we fly," said Stehl.
It is not rare for law enforcement to use choppers in order to find stolen cars.
"It is very common to use a helicopter to recover property especially if it is in an area that is hard to reach," said Katie Heck, a CCSO public information officer.
The helicopter patrols have proven to be an effective tool for law enforcement.
"The Los Angeles Police Department did a study years ago where they determined one helicopter is the equivalent of about 10 officers on the ground.
Helicopter patrols are called in for more than just recovering stolen cars.
"The patrols look for missing children, runaways, stolen property, and working on perimeters," said Heck.
The sheriff's office has two helicopters that are used for patrols. There are two other choppers inside the hanger that are used for mosquito control and brush fires.
