Woodbury teen suspected in residential burglary

Police were looking at a Woodbury teenager last week as a suspect in a residential burglary involving an occupied residence.

The suspect, a 16-year-old male, has not been charged in the case, said Woodbury police Investigative Sgt. Brett Billmeyer. He said the teen denied involvement in the burglary, which remains under investigation.

Officers were called at 11:27 p.m. March 20 to a home in the 1700 block of Sheffield Drive for a possible burglary in progress. The caller reported hearing movement and doors shutting.

When police arrived, a suspect was spotted in the area. Billmeyer said that person – later identified as the 16-year-old – took off on foot after police identified themselves. According to a police report, the teen told police he had been outside in order to buy marijuana from someone.

Police located a small amount of marijuana on the youth. He was cited for possession of small amount of marijuana, fleeing police on foot and a curfew violation.

A check of the residence yielded no evidence of forced entry, though a rear service door on the garage was found unlocked, Billmeyer said.

“We do not believe that he made it inside of the home,” he said.

Police said nothing in the garage appeared missing.

Billmeyer said police had been investigating other burglaries in the neighborhood where someone entered through open garage doors.

The teenager arrested March 20 is not suspected in any of those burglaries, Billmeyer said.

“As of now, no,” he said. “We don’t have any indication that would involve him with the others.”

No other suspects have been identified, he said.

Billmeyer said Woodbury residents should keep garage doors shut in order to prevent similar incidents.

Tags: crime and courts, news, crime