A toy gun led to a burglary suspect’s arrest in Atlantic City this week.
Police were called to the 300 block of North Indiana Avenue at 9:12 a.m. Tuesday, for the report of a man trying to break into a shed on the caller’s property, Sgt. Paul Aristizabal said.
Officer James Eckert arrived and was able to get a photograph and description of the suspect, according to the report.
The information was put out to patrol units.
About 90 minutes later, officers were called to the 1900 block of Bacharach Boulevard about a man walking with a rifle, Aristizabal said.
Officer Leah Giercyk spoke to the caller, and found the description matched that of the earlier burglary suspect, according to the report.
Sgt. Mohammed Kaiser saw a man matching the description just before 11 a.m. in the area of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Hummock Avenue, Aristizabal said.
Victor Martinez, 51, of Atlantic City, was carrying what appeared to be a rifle around his shoulder and was quickly taken into custody, according to the report.
It was soon found to be a toy gun.
Martinez was in possession of property belonging to a burglary victim unrelated to the first caller, Aristizabal said.
Both the imitation rifle and other property was determined to be from a home in the 300 block of Indiana Avenue that had also been burglarized, the report states.
Martinez is charged with burglary, theft, criminal mischief, possession of an imitation firearm, creating a false public alarm and receiving stolen property.
He is in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
