Sex Offender turns to burglary, GPS confirms
A Los Angeles former sex offender was arrested in Sylmar October 4th after he committed a home burglary. 48-year-old Wilbert Matheny was only arrested after his ankle bracelet revealed that he had been at the site of the robbery at the time of the incident.
Wilbert Matheny
The robbery originally occurred on August 30th, while the 90-year-old victim was relaxing in his Sylmar home on 13400 block of Bradley Avenue. The victim’s 48-year-old female roommate was confronted by the suspect, who then proceeded to run into the house and steal a laptop. She described the suspect as a salt-and-pepper haired Black male who had helped her repair an electrical problem a week earlier.
Over the next several days, neighbors told detectives that a man who matched the suspect’s description frequently walked a white dog in the neighborhood and pointed out a nearby group home for sex offenders in the13600 block Norris Avenue as his possible location.
Detectives searched the Megan’s Law Database, where they learned that most of the registrants at the home, including the suspect, wore GPS ankle bracelets. From there, detectives were easily able to identify Matheny determine his whereabouts on the day of the crime.
“Lo and behold, the GPS tracker put Matheny in the victim’s home on the date and at the time of the burglary,” said Lt. Paul Vernon, commanding officer of the Mission Detective Division.
When the detectives went to arrest Mathney at his Norris Avenue group home residence, he opened the door and a little white dog ran out. According to Lt. Vernon, “The detectives just looked at each other and smiled.”
Matheney was booked for residential burglary with no bail due to his post-conviction conditions and status as a sex registrant.
Matheny lived in a group home for registered sex offenders in this Sylmar neighborhood
“Matheney is a testament to the misnomer of so-called non-violent criminals,” Lt. Vernon added. “I’ve seen too often where a career burglar turned into a rapist or a murderer based upon being confronted or finding a vulnerable woman in the target home. Thank God it wasn’t the case this time.”
Anyone with information on this crime is urged to call Detective William Cooper, Mission Burglary Unit, at 818-838-9866. Anonymous tips can be called into Crimestoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477), or by texting 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Online tips may be placed at www.LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.
Read More:
Daily News: GPS ankle bracelet ties Sylmar man to burglary, LAPD says
NBC Los Angeles: Ankle Bracelet Nabs Sex Offender in Alleged Burglary
