DECATUR — Daniel Cruz, 19, and two other juveniles were arrested for allegedly breaking into a home on Midway Avenue in Decatur and stealing more than $400 in cash and a piece of gold jewelry.
On Aug. 14, residents of the home reported that a box with approximately$400 in quarters and one dollar bills was missing from their closet. They also reported another $50 in cash and a gold chain with an eagle emblem valued at about $400 was missing.
Police were unable to find any signs of forced entry to the home, such as tool marks on the door, but the residents said the bedroom windows were broken and unable to be locked.
There were no suspects in the case until the residents were awakened by a noise in the living room on the morning of Aug. 30.
Balisaria Escobar told police he was sleeping in the bedroom when he heard the noise. He went to the living room and opened the front door to find out what the noise was and saw Cruz pushing on the front window. According to Escobar, Cruz said he just wanted to know who lived in the house and then left, walking east on Midway.
After Escobar reported the incident to police, they interviewed Cruz and he admitted to taking the money and gold jewelry from the home. Cruz told police he was drinking with friends when they entered the house.
Cruz said that he and his friends also entered a homeat the Hidden Springs Apartments through a window, but didn’t find any money to take.
The three friends told police they had divided and spent all the money they took from the home on Midway Avenue and sold the piece of jewelry to the owner of Jewelry Martinez in Springdale.
Police contacted the business and found the gold chain had already been melted down. Police were also able to recover the backpack the thieves used to carry the money, but it was empty.
Cruz is being held in the Benton County Jail on charges of residential burglary and theft of property with a $5,000 bond. The two juveniles were also arrested and charged with residential burglary and theft of property.
News, Pages 20 on 09/15/2010