Attentive Neighbor Foils Burglary, Suspects Arrested!

Marcellus

King

On March 28 at 9:11am, officers responded to the 2700 block of South Sorrelle in reference to a suspicious vehicle. The reporting party, a neighbor who was leaving to go to work, stated that two men got out of the vehicle and were possibly attempting to break into nearby mail boxes. He wisely called 911 and described everything he witnessed to our dispatcher.

While responding to the call, officers observed a vehicle matching the description given backed into a driveway on South Joplin. A man matching the description given was seen placing items into the trunk of the vehicle. Upon seeing police, the subject ran into the home the vehicle was parked at. A security officer for the neighborhood arrived and advised our officer that two men were observed jumping the rear wall of the home.

A perimeter was set up and both suspects were eventually taken into custody without incident. The suspects, later identified as 22 year-old Treshon Marcellus and 18 year-old Anthony King, were positively identified by the arriving Mesa officer and the security officer. Homeowners arrived and confirmed that the residence had been burglarized and the vehicle in the driveway did not belong to them. Property from the residence was observed inside of the suspect vehicle and returned to the owner.  The suspects went to jail.

Were it not for the heads up actions by this neighbor, there is a realistic chance the suspects would have escaped with the property unnoticed.  Yet another outstanding example of citizens partnering with their police to stop crime. Remember, "IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING." It could very well be the difference between a suspect in-custody and an unsolved crime.