NASHUA, NH - In this week’s edition of Stupid Criminal Tricks, we give you Luis Morales Reyes, 47, of Nashua, New Hampshire. Reyes burglarized a convenience store on South Main Street in this southern New Hampshire community and managed to get stuck while trying to escape the scene of the crime...not once, but twice.
The New Hampshire Union Leader reports that Reyes initially became stuck while trying to squeeze through a broken glass door he used to access the HRA Market. He then had no success trying to escape through a window. Finally, he climbed on top of a drop ceiling to avoid being detected by responding police officers, the Nashua PD said in a criminal complaint.
His last attempt was foiled by his feet breaking through drop ceiling tiles. He was taken into custody, and his foiled attempt at the crime of the century resulted in an attempted haul of $153 in $1 and $5 bills, investigators said.
On Saturday, October 17, Nashua police were dispatched to the HRA Market on South Main Street in the city after a resident reported seeing a man forcing entry into the store.
On arrival, officers found the suspect inside the business attempting to exit through a broken glass door at the front of the store. Seeing those efforts foiled after he got stuck, he went back into the store after police ordered him to come out.
Reyes then tried to escape through a small window, but again those efforts were unsuccessful. Finally, seeing no other chance for escape, Reyes ran to a bathroom in the back of the store and climbed onto a drop ceiling to avoid detection. When police entered the bathroom, they “were able to directly observe Luis’ feet puncture through the ceiling multiple times as he attempted his vain effort of concealment.”
Seeing no other options, Reyes finally surrendered.
Police determined the store’s cash register suffered “[severe] damage” and money was removed from the drawers. Officers found $1 and $5 bills scattered throughout the store.
Police also said several rolls of scratch lottery tickets had been removed from their display and were found in the store’s bathroom. Police said several ceiling tiles, a door, and a window were damaged during the incident.
The business owner went to the scene and told responding officers that while no merchandise appeared to have been stolen, he estimated that approximately $150 had been taken from the register. He also estimated repair costs to the register at approximately $2,300.
While Reyes was undergoing booking, police found $153 in assorted $1 and $5 bills.
Reyes waived his Miranda rights and agreed to speak to investigators.
He admitted forcing entry into the business by smashing the glass door in front of the building. He told police he used a hammer he found inside the store to force open the cash register. Reyes admitted attempting to flee when police arrived and then hiding to evade capture.
Reyes denied involvement in any other burglaries, police said.
However, that same morning at approximately 9:40 a.m., Nashua police were dispatched to a reported burglary at Scrap Metals Inc. The method of entry matched that of the convenience store, according to court records. Police said that business is near the HRA Market, and through their investigation, they were able to pin that crime on Reyes as well. In that case, approximately $122 was stolen from the business.
Reyes was arrested in connection with that burglary and charged with two counts of burglary, one count of felony criminal mischief, one count of resisting arrest or detention, and two misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief in connection with both burglaries.
At his arraignment last week, Reyes entered no plea to the two burglary charges and the felony criminal mischief charge. He pleaded not guilty to resisting arrest and misdemeanor criminal mischief.
He was ordered held on $2,500 cash bail and was scheduled to return to court on October 26 for a probable cause hearing.
The police department is seeking the assistance of the public for information about these two crimes and asking them to call the Crime Line at 603-589-1665.
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