Neighbor's Call About Burglary Leads to Arrest

A resident's call about a burglary in progress helped Clearwater Police arrest two of the three suspects involved shortly after the crime occured Monday, according to investigators.

A neighbor in the Cleardun subdivision saw several juveniles near a home on the 1200 block of Bermuda Street and called police, according to investigators.

He yelled at them when he saw one of them use a screwdriver to enter the back patio of a house and remove a bicycle. The suspects then fled the area, according to police.

Officers who responded to the call saw several juveniles near Sunset Point Road and Highland Avenue who matched the description given by the neighbor. When they tried to make contact, the juveniles fled.

Officers were able to immediately detain one suspect, who will not be named because of his age. Officers later picked up Joshua Patterson, 14, as well.

A third suspect who fled was later observed stealing a bike from a home in the 1400 block of Thames Lane but dropped the bike and fled on foot, authorities said. A K-9 was unable to track him down. He is still at large.

Detectives determined that Patterson and the other suspect were also connected to a second burglary on Bermuda Street. Additionally, Patterson was connected to a burglary committed in the 2000 block of Broadway last May. 

Patterson, of Clearwater, was arrested and charged with residential burglary, felony theft, two counts of resisting arrest and possession of marijuana.