Burglar busted in quest for cash
GLENDALE — A 35-year-old Los Angeles man was arrested this week after police saw him trying to break into laundry card and coin machines with a pry bar, according to police reports.
A witness told police that she went for an early workout in her apartment gym on the 1100 block of North Columbus Avenue where she saw the alleged burglar, Mark Jones, hitting the coin machine with a pry bar, according to reports.
Jones saw her and told him that he was servicing the machine.
But when she noticed that the laundry card machine was badly damaged, she suspected Jones was trying to break in to the machines, so she remained inside the gym.
She continued working out and tried to come up with ideas to escape without raising any suspicions.
Several minutes later, Jones allegedly asked her to leave so he could finish his job.
She stepped out and immediately called police.
Officers walked into the gym and saw Jones wearing black gloves and holding onto a pry bar while standing next to the machine, according to police.
Officers also noticed two pry bars, a flashlight, locking pliers and a power drill sprawled on the floor next to the machines.
The building’s office had also been ransacked.
They immediately arrested Jones and checked his pockets, in which they found a vial containing methamphetamine, keys, a screwdriver and other items.
One of the keys belonged to a BMW that had been reported stolen on May 22 in Los Angeles, according to police reports. Jones reportedly told police that a friend named Luther had given him the BMW.
Inside the BMW, police found a garage door opener that was stolen from a home on the 1100 block of San Rafael Avenue in Glendale.
Jones was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of burglary, vehicle theft and possessing methamphetamine, according Glendale Police Department reports.
He was released Thursday on a $50,000 bond, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department records.
The Los Angeles County district attorney had not filed charges against Jones as of Friday, a spokeswoman said.