Young burglary suspects arrested in Pasadena

PASADENA -- Police arrested a man and three teenage boys, ages 13, 14 and 17, Friday on suspicion of trying to break into a home, authorities said.

Andrew Harris, 18, and the three teens, all from Pasadena, were booked on suspicion of residential burglary, Pasadena police Lt. Chris Russ said.

A neighborhood resident spotted the suspects about 1:30 p.m. removing a screen from a neighbor's window in the 1800 block of Mentone Avenue and called the police, the lieutenant said.

A Pasadena Police Department helicopter was overhead before the suspects could get inside the home, Russ said, and all four ran in different directions.

"(The helicopter) was was instrumental in directing officers to where the suspects were running from their birds-eye-view vantage point," he said. "Excellent coordination between ground units and air resources proved successful in capturing all four suspects."

Russ also credited the alert neighbor, as well as officers who have been focusing extra attention on residential burglaries for the arrests.

A spike in burglaries, as well as burglary arrests, in recent weeks has made police "very sensitive to anything that may appear to be residential (burglaries) or vehicle (burglaries)," Russ added.

According to sheriff's booking records, Harris was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail. His initial court date was not available, though criminal suspects are generally arraigned within two working days of their arrest.