Responding officers link label to previous burglary
By Jim Sterne
News Editor
Police responded to a burglary in progress in the 3900 block of N. Janssen Ave. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 12:09 p.m. After a foot chase, the alleged offender, Jorge Rodriquez, 39, of the 2100 block of W. Haddon Ave., was apprehended.
When the responding officers arrived, they saw the door to an apartment open. As they approached someone inside shut it. They opened the door and saw the offender running through the apartment, out the back door, down the stairs, through the back yard. He jumped a fence into the alley and continued his flight. The responding officers were close behind and never lost sight of the offender, taking him down and handcuffing Rodriquez in the alley a few houses south of the incident.
The offender was taken to the address of a witness who made a positive identification. The witness stated that the offender had knocked on his door prior to breaking into the apartment across the hall. The witness looked through the peephole and, not knowing the offender, did not open the door. The witness continued watching as the offender used a pry bar and screwdriver to gain access to the apartment across the hall. The witness called 911 and reported the incident.
A custodial search revealed a screwdriver, a pry bar, and a delivery label from a clothing store addressed to a person in the 3600 block of N. Paulina Ave. The responding officers had knowledge of a burglary that occurred at the same address at 11:47 a.m.
According to the police report, the offender was advised of his rights per Miranda and then freely admitted that he was the burglar in the Paulina Ave. incident as well. The offender further stated that he was going to use the label as an excuse to be at the location if he encountered anyone there. The offender said that he burglarized the second location because he found nothing of interest in the Paulina Ave. apartment and that he usually takes only what he can carry to support a drug habit.
The responding officers sustained scrapes and bruises to their hands and knees during the chase and apprehension of the offender. |
