Mt. Pleasant man arrested for Middletown burglary

MIDDLETOWN — Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office arrested 50-year-old Francisco Perez of Mt. Pleasant and charged him with third degree burglary (D Felony), fifth degree theft (simple misdemeanor), and trespass (simple misdemeanor), Sunday, July 16.

According to court documents, a Middletown resident contacted the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, July 11 to report she caught an individual breaking into her home on camera while she was at work for the day.

In the criminal complaint filed with the courts, Deputy Kolton Atkins stated that the security camera footage showed Perez entering the residence at approximately 10:18 a.m., only approximately five minutes after the victim left for work.

According to the victim, she first observed a Hispanic man wearing a black shirt and hat in her residence at approximately 1 p.m.

She also stated when she arrived home, she found a knife, T-shirt, her pink loofa, and two bags of weeds sitting inside her front door. She also stated a T-shirt and a pair of her granddaughter’s underwear were missing.

“Security video showed the Defendant walking between the residence and the garage,” Atkins stated in the criminal complaint. “At one point in time enter the garage and use the lawn mower. He is also seen on camera using a towel from the residence and washing off with the garden hose.”

One day after her initial report, the victim contacted deputies to report locating a used condom in the trash can of her granddaughter’s room.

Perez was identified through comparisons to booking photos of the defendant from prior incidents. They further confirmed Perez’s identity in an interview with the defendant with the assistance of Burlington Police Department due to a language barrier.

Atkins reports that during the interview Perez stated that when he arrived at the Middletown residence, he thought he was at a family member’s home, though he also said multiple times that he was intoxicated at the time of the incident.

“While speaking with the Defendant he did confirm that he was aware the residence did not belong to the family member due to his family member living in Mt. Pleasant and he was aware he was in Middletown,” the criminal complaint states.

“When asked about entering the residence he advised, he opened the door to the residence but could not remember if he went inside,” Atkins wrote.

According to the report, Perez recalled waking up the next morning in a shirt that did not belong to him, which is consistent with security camera footage showing an individual entering in a black shirt and leaving in a “lighter gray/white shirt.”

After arresting and interview Perez, authorities transferred him to Des Moines Correctional Facility.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com