WATSONVILLE — Watsonville Police showed up in force with guns drawn after a report of a burglary in progress on Brennan Street Monday morning.
According to Watsonville Police Sgt. Bryan Fuentez, employees of the Teen Challenge Monterey Bay Store, 55 Brennan St. were opening the business when they heard movement upstairs. The employees noticed two broken windows on the second story with a ladder in place outside, along with an unfamiliar suitcase and bike.
Police were called at about 10:10 a.m., and one of the first officers on scene also reported hearing movement in part of the store. Brennan Street was soon cordoned off to vehicle traffic with five patrol cars and about eight officers surrounded the building.
After giving numerous warnings over a loudspeaker in both English and Spanish, officer Brian Fulgoni and K-9 officer Ranger were then called in to flush out the suspect who was possibly still inside.
After a lengthy search of the building that lasted until 12:15 p.m., no suspect was found, but the business had definitely been burglarized, said Sgt. Mish Radich. Drawers had been pulled open and items littered the floor.
“It was definitely ransacked,” Radich said. “It’s a mess in there.”
The case is still under investigation.
Officer Brian Fulgoni and K-9 Ranger of Watsonville Police Department make their way out of Teen Challenge Monterey Bay on Brennan Street after searching the building for a burglary suspect. Photo by Johanna Miller/Pajaronian
