A 31-year-old Modesto man was arrested Saturday morning as he ran from the scene of a residential break-in in his boxer shirts after he pulled off his camouflage pants.
Police were called at 8:45 a.m. after the owner at 824 Richland Avenue found a burglar in a residence that previously had been damaged by a fire. The suspect took off running.
Officer Josh Kling responded and saw a man who matched the description of the burglar running across River Road as he was taking off his pants and wearing only boxers. Kling stopped the man in front of 1527 River Road.
Juan Griego, 31, of Modesto, was arrested and booked for burglary and possession of stolen property. He admitted breaking into the house and taking small items "thinking it would be okay." Stolen items on Griego included silver coins, foreign money and checks.
As Kling was arresting Griego, the officer was confronted by a woman who was eight months pregnant and acting strangely. The woman, Shaylene Morgan, 30, of Modesto, was determined to be under the influence of methamphetamine. She was arrested on that charge as well as a no-bail warrant issued for possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to appear in court.
Other noteworthy crimes reported in the Ceres area are as follows:
• TEEN ARRESTED WHILE HIGH: CERES - A Ceres teenager was arrested Friday after he was reported going door to door ringing door bells in the 2800 block of Roswell Way while exhibiting signs of being on drugs.
A resident in the area south of Roeding Heights Park called 9-1-1 at 11:43 a.m. to report the suspicious behavior of Brier Watts, 19, of Ceres. Police were unsure if Watts was scoping out places to burglarize but said he was under the influence of a controlled substance. He was arrested on that charge.
• THEFT SUSPECTS ARRESTED: CERES - Two Ceres men were arrested Thursday, Sept. 5 after they were seen trying to break into cars in downtown Ceres and stealing a cash register after breaking into a Fourth Street eatery.
A surveillance company alerted police that two men were seen near the Turlock Irrigation District office and Jack's Automotive trying to get into vehicles.
Police responded and found one suspect in the alley behind Sweet Lu's with a cash register stolen from Chiva's Restaurant at 3006 Fourth Street.
Police arrested Jordon Qualls, 22, who was seen jumping a chain link fence in the area. He was arrested and charged with burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime.
The same charges await Jeremy Hair, 29, of Ceres, who was also arrested.
• THIEF LEAVES TRUCK IN ATTEMPTED THEFT: CERES - A would-be thief abandoned a truck outside of a Ceres business yard after driving it through a fence in an attempt to steal it but badly damaging it instead.
The attempted theft occurred on Wednesday, Sept. 4 outside of Creative Drinks in an industrial park at 1651 Sandpoint Drive. Officer Jeremy Caron stumbled upon the vehicle, a white Freightliner box truck, left in the street. The vehicle had a smashed windshield and the business' gate had been damaged. The owner of the business, Cary Boyarsky, verified that the truck was his.
A search of the area turned up no suspects.
