Iowa City police investigating burglary on north side

Iowa City police are asking for the public's help in locating a suspect in a burglary on the city's north side Wednesday night.

Officers were called to 421 E. Davenport St. at 9:45 p.m. Wednesday on a reported burglary in progress. The suspect fled when officers arrived

Iowa City Police Sgt. Denise Brotherton said two women in their early 20s were home during the burglary, with lights on and music playing. Authorities believe that the man entered the residence through an unlocked door.

One of the women, who saw the intruder, said that she was walking out of her bedroom when she found the man in her dining room. The man then fled out the back door with the woman's purse.

Reports indicate that the woman ran after the man, yelling at him to stop. The man attempted to hide in some bushes near Mercy Hospital, but he was confronted by the woman. He attempted to punch the woman in the face, then ran away again, telling the woman to stop chasing him because he had a gun. The woman then went home to call police.

Authorities say that the man dropped the woman's purse during the chase.

The suspect was described by the woman as a black male, approximately 5 foot 10 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds, wearing jeans and a short flannel shirt over a dark colored shirt.

The man appeared to be around 50 years old. He was carrying a laptop computer and had white athletic tape wrapped around one of his hands, the press release indicates.

"It's possible that laptop may have been from another residence the suspect might have entered," Brotherton said.

Iowa City Area CrimeStoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect. Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact CrimeStoppers at 358-TIPS (8477).

In light of the incident, the Iowa City Police Department wishes to remind residents and returning students to lock their doors and windows and report any suspicious persons or vehicles in the area.

According to Brotherton, burglaries similar to last night's incident happen year-round in Iowa City. However, they are even more prevalent around this time of year because of the influx of students moving back to the area.

"These things happen all hours of the day and these people just wait and look around for unlocked doors," Brotherton said. "Burglars know that a lot of people will just drop purses, wallets and laptops when they walk in their door -- they do quick grabs, get in, and get out."

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