Police: Iowa City man faces array of charges after string of burglaries

IOWA CITY - An Iowa City man faces multiple charges for burglary after allegedly breaking into an Iowa City residence and five nearby vehicles in one night.

According to Iowa City Police complaints, officers responded shortly after 4 a.m. Thursday to a residence on the 600 block of South Lucas Street for a reported burglary.

The resident told police he heard a door slam in the house, and when he went to investigate, he realized a TV, laptop, wallet, purse and other items were missing, according to police.

Police found 20-year-old Jerome Brooks Jr. on South Dodge Street with the stolen TV in his hands and a bag that contained the other stolen items, police say.

Brooks was also in possession of several items reported stolen from a number of car burglaries in the area earlier that morning including a tablet from Bowery Street, a debit card and cellphone from Johnson Street, a wallet and prescription pill bottles from Lucas Street and a GPS from Evans Street, according to police.

Police say Brooks broke into five cars total that morning and was also found in possession of several marijuana pipes and a small amount of pot.

Brooks faces a Class C felony for second-degree burglary, five aggravated misdemeanor charges for third-degree burglary and serious misdemeanors for unlawful possession of a prescription drug and possession of a controlled substance.

According to the Johnson County Jail website, Brooks was also charged with a simple misdemeanor for interference with official acts. He was booked Thursday morning and remained in custody Friday.