SURPRISE – A man is credited with helping police catch an alleged burglar using the popular social website Facebook.
Sgt. Mark Ortega, with Surprise police, tells 3TV a man entered a residence in the 14900 block of West Evening Star Trail in Surprise while the homeowner was working upstairs.
The suspect stole a number of items including the owner’s wallet, laptop, cell phone and a Garmin-brand watch.
A Tempe resident contacted a man in Surprise who was selling a Garmin Forerunner watch on Craigslist on February 25.
The would-be buyer went to the seller’s home in the 14600 block of Marcus Driver in Surprise and bought the watch.
When the buyer got home, he tried to connect the watch to his computer and discovered it was registered to someone else. The buyer said he felt “uneasy” and “suspicious” about the watch and he attempted to locate the person who had listed the watch on Craiglist on Facebook. Five matches came up and the buyer sent a message to all five telling them about the watch.
The watch’s owner contacted detectives on March 1 and told officers he had been contacted by a man on Facebook who said he had purchased his watch.
The watch-buyer was asked to look at a photo line-up of suspects where he was able to identify 25-year-old Nicholas Anglin, of Surprise, as the man who sold him the watch.
Detectives served a search warrant on Anglin’s home on March 11. Among the items found were numerous electronic items and drugs. Also recovered were six items taken from the original victim including his car keys cell phone and wireless card.
Anglin faces charges of possession of stolen property, trafficking in stolen property, possession of marijuana and possession of dangerous drugs and drug paraphernalia. He is currently at the Fourth Avenue Jail.
