MESA, AZ (CBS5) -
Mesa police responded to a possible break-in at a restaurant on Thursday, Sept. 26 after a witness saw someone break a glass door and enter the restaurant.
When Mesa Officer Jernigan arrived on scene he witnessed a male subject leaving the Big Bowl Chinese Restaurant through the broken glass door holding something. The subject, later identified as Anthony Richards, ran into an apartment complex located at 1915 E. Broadway Rd.
At that time Mesa police set up a perimeter around the apartment complex trying to flush out Richards using additional officers, K-9 units and a helicopter.
Jernigan found a frozen container of ice cream lying on the ground in the same area Richards had fled from. Officers learned that the ice cream was the only item stole from the restaurant.
During the search for Richards officers arrested a man identified as Joseph Barba for interfering with officers and K-9 units by yelling and cussing at them as they searched for Richards. After Barba was arrested officers learned he was an associate of Richards. Officers also learned that Barba was seen with Richards either directly before or just after he broke into the restaurant.
Mesa police were able to find out which apartment Richards ran into from talking to the residents. They then were given consent to search the apartment where they found Richards in a bedroom pretending to be asleep.
Officers arrested Richards and charged him with residential trespassing and commercial burglary.
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