Courts. (Credit: Flickr/Creative Commons)
Roger Esteban Real was apprehended by Towamencin Police in an incident that locked out Inglewood Elementary
Following a preliminary hearing last week, a Colombian man with no known address and possible connections to a South American burglary ring targeting Asian-American business owners heads to Montgomery County court for arraignment on felony burglary and other charges, stemming from his alleged role in a morning home burglary in Towamencin that locked down Inglewood Elementary School.
Roger Esteban Real, 29, was arrested after officers responded to a motion-activated alarm at the home on the 500 block of Weikel Road at 8:19 a.m. Oct. 6, and apprehended him once he allegedly fled from the home with an accomplice who has not yet been identified and located.
The incident locked down Inglewood Elementary after Real allegedly fled from the home. The 500 block of Weikel Road spans from West Orvilla to Allentown roads, adjacent to the school.
Real also faces charges of felony criminal trespassing and disruption of security service. A misdemeanor charge of possessing an instrument of crime was withdrawn at the hearing.
Police said the homeowner was out of state when cameras flagged movement in the backyard, kitchen and living room around 8:19 a.m. Officers arrived to find a basement window smashed and a man in a bright orange safety vest in the basement who ran when confronted, alleged to be Real, according to a criminal complaint.
Towamencin Officer Andrew Konig began chasing Real —who was allegedly carrying a black bag — through a wooded area behind Weikel Road to near Allentown Road, where he surrendered.
Police said a 10-inch flathead screwdriver was concealed in Real’s underwear, and he had black gloves and a black medical mask.
A second man ran from the scene and has not been located, police said in the complaint.
Along the route of the foot chase, a K-9 article search turned up a signal-jamming device — described by investigators as a tool commonly used to disrupt security systems, radio transmissions and cell signals — plus wired headphones seen on in-car video as the men fled.
Police said that the address had previously been targeted by a group that burglarizes the homes of Asian American business owners, sometimes referred to by law enforcement as the South American Theft Group (SATG).
The Oct. 6 incident began with an alarm call from Cats Eyes Security; the monitoring company reached the owner, who confirmed no one should be inside, police said.
Real was identified via a Colombia driver’s license, according to the affidavit.
Real is also charged with two misdemeanor counts each of criminal mischief and possessing instruments of crime and misdemeanor evading arrest or detention on foot.
He remains jailed on $99,000 cash bail, according to court records, which was originally set at $250,000 cash bail by on-call Magisterial District Judge Jodi L. Griffis, but amended per Common Pleas Court order.
Formal arraignment in county court is set for Dec. 3. He is represented by a public defender.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
