Five Arrests Made in Takoma Park Burglaries

Two people were arrested Tuesday for first degree burglary and three more were arrested Wednesday after an alert for citizens got involved in preventing the theft in the city, Takoma Park Police said. This comes after a string of 19 burglaries in just over a month. Police did not say if the five arrested had any connection to those burglaries.

The two arrested Tuesday were both males, one 15 and one 17, from Washington, D.C. At around 10:50 a.m., a detective from the Takoma Park Police Department was canvassing the residential area on Spruce Avenue, and noticed two males looking into yards as they walked through the neighborhood.  Both males were detained in the 7200 block of Spruce Avenue.  The subjects claimed to be in the neighborhood asking for donations for a "go-go" band.  Both juveniles were arrested for truancy.  A search revealed that the subjects had in their possession a computer bag, which held a Toshiba laptop and digital camera, as well as two Apple iPods and a pair of female ear rings.

"It is also believed that these two juveniles are responsible for other burglaries, but not all of the ones that have plagued the city, Takoma Park Police Chief Ronald Ricucci said in a statement.

Another three juveniles were arrested Wednesday as a result of an alert citizen getting involved, Ricucci said.

"During a debriefing of our arrestees yesterday, we learned that the word on the street is that Takoma Park is an easy hit with residences with so many valuables inside," Ricucci said.  "[The subjects] further stated that it was easy because so many residences are left with open doors and windows."

All of the burglaries in the string of 19 have occurred during the day and early evening, said Andrew Gucciardo, Takoma Park Police Crime Analyst. So Takoma Park Police are upping their day patrols and unmarked patrols.