Report of suspicion leads to arrest

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A watchful eye has been credited for the arrest of an accused burglar who is suspected of targeting at least two southwest Fort Wayne neighborhoods.

Police caught Mickyle Eshelman with stolen garage door openers, car keys, power tools, GPS units and other items early Sunday morning according to officers’ reports.

A homeowner in the Aspen Village addition first reported a suspicious person in the area around 3:30 a.m. Sunday.  The woman described seeing the dome light of her neighbor’s car on as well as an unfamiliar man wearing dark clothing and a backpack walking from the vehicle.

During a patrol of the area, officers spotted the suspect who ran as the squad cars approached.

Officers chased Eshelman and caught him after a short pursuit that ended in his arrest. 

Eshelman dropped the backpack he carried during the chase.  Police discovered stolen items including car keys, radar detectors and DVDs inside the bag; Eschelman was also reported to have another man’s Visa debit card in his pocket.

The investigation revealed that Eshelman targeted several cars and homes in Aspen Village and West Lakes throughout the overnight hours.  The officers were able to trace many items back to their owners’ addresses.

A passing newspaper delivery driver saw police at one of the residences during the investigation.  The driver said he delivers to homes in the area daily and is very familiar the neighborhoods involved.  He alerted officers to a truck he considered suspicious parked in the Coves at West Lakes addition that turned out to be Eshelman’s.  More stolen items were found inside the vehicle.

Raquel Foster, spokesperson for the Fort Wayne Police Department praised the driver and the homeowner who called in the suspicious person report for their vigilance.

“That’s teamwork.  That’s exactly how we solve many of these crimes; through the help of the residents of Fort Wayne,” Foster said.

Eschelman faces charges for burglary, breaking and entering, receiving stolen property and resisting law enforcement.