Police thwart attempted burglary, arrest 2 men

Two men were arrested Tuesday after a Bloomington police officer interrupted an attempted burglary at an apartment complex clubhouse.

Brandon Ebeyer, 21, was arrested on a preliminary charge of attempted burglary. Taimur Akbar, 19, was also arrested and faces a preliminary charge of conspiracy to commit burglary.

The arrests followed a stakeout and ambush planned by Officer Blake Cunningham, Sgt. Jeff Canada of Bloomington Police Department said.

At about 7:30 p.m., Cunningham responded to a report of vandalism at Stratum Apartments, 3131 E. Goodnight Way. The manager told the officer that when she attempted to close the complex’s clubhouse, the system wouldn’t set.

The system indicated a problem with sensors in the media room, which housed video game systems and a TV. The manager said she found the sensors’ cords had been ripped out near the door to the common hallway, Canada said.

The windows had been unlocked from the inside, and the security camera’s angle had been drastically changed. At about 11 p.m., Cunningham returned to the room.

Sitting in the dark, the officer waited for the would-be burglars to return. He didn’t wait long, Canada said.

Only 15 minutes passed before Cunningham heard someone tampering with the window screen outside the room. Cunningham exited the clubhouse but could not immediately find the subject, Canada said.

He did, however, see a gold 2001 Honda Odyssey mini-van backing out of a parking spot near the clubhouse. Cunningham approached the van with his gun drawn, ordering the driver, Akbar, to stop.

The front passenger door opened, and Ebeyer jumped from the van, running into the nearby woods, Canada said. Cunningham called for backup. A police dog named Pongo quickly located Ebeyer, who was arrested.

Akbar told police he and Ebeyer were dropping off a rental application.

— Jake New