SOUTH BAY : Police Arrest Suspect in 12 Ticklish Burglaries
A quirky cat burglar who occasionally tickled the feet of residents as they slept was arrested recently after Redondo Beach police observed him stealing a bicycle from a yard, police said.
Arnold Collins Jr., 20, of Redondo Beach is suspected of burglarizing 12 homes in Redondo Beach and Lawndale since April, Police Sgt. Rick Petersen said.
The cat burglar would enter homes through unlocked windows and occasionally pilfer purses, leaving them in nearby yards after removing cash, Petersen said.
Police said they began to suspect Collins of the burglaries after observing him in the area late at night.
Undercover police observed Collins peering through windows and walking through yards before taking a bicycle from a yard Wednesday near the 2700 block of Rockefeller Lane, police said. They arrested him about 2:30 a.m. after he fled to a roof.
Police said they found evidence in Collins’ home that linked him to several recent burglaries in Redondo Beach. Collins, who allegedly admitted several of the burglaries, is being held on $30,000 bail, police said.
During four of the burglaries, residents awoke after they were tickled, saw the suspect and called police. In each case, the suspect fled, Petersen said.
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