Four arrested in Iowa City after attempted burglary

Iowa City police arrested people from Muscatine Tuesday night after they attempted to commit burglaries while wielding a shotgun.

According to criminal complaints, police responded to a burglary in progress at 1220 Keokuk St. The caller told officers a person had been ringing the doorbell and left. The caller said the person then went to the back of the house and was trying to gain entry into the home.

When officers arrived, they located a Chevy Cavalier in the alley behind the house driving away with its lights off. Police officers stopped the vehicle and identified four occupants as Kodie K. Kruse, 22; Taia S. Garcia, 19; Ariel A. Gallardo, 17; and Deon T. Hendricks, 16, all of Muscatine.

The occupants told police they were at the back of the caller's home because they were looking for a dog. Officers found a shotgun on the back floor board of the car.

Garcia told police the group met up in Muscatine and planned to come to Iowa City and commit burglaries. She said the shotgun was brought along to scare people during the burglary.

All four people were charged with first-degree attempted burglary, a class-C felony, and going armed with intent. Gallardo and Hendricks were charged with violaion of juvenile curfew. Kruse also was charged with possession of a controlled substance after officers found marijuana hidden in Garcia's bra. Kruse admitted the marijuana was his and had asked Garcia to hide it after the police pulled them over.