Redlands Police Track Down Home Invasion Suspect

by Lee Brown , November 27, 2012

REDLANDS – Police eventually arrested a man who confronted residents in an armed home invasion robbery early Monday morning, ultimately taking nearly seven hours to track him down.

Travis Michael Barden was arrested for a home invasion robbery

During the search, Redlands police conducted a yard-to-yard search by use of a bloodhound, a San Bernardino County helicopter and also locked down a nearby elementary school. Travis Michael Barden, 26, of Beaumont, was taken into custody after a series of reports from neighbors led police to his hiding place in shrubbery outside a residence.

Barden reportedly woke up residents of a home in the 500 block of West Crescent Ave. shortly after 2 a.m., who heard noises in the house, according to a news release. City spokesman Carl Baker said an armed Barden confronted the residents. He left through a back door with electronics and jewelry, he said. About five hours later, a resident at a nearby Knoll Rd. home, reported seeing a man in the yard. Noting that he matched Barden’s description, police arrived to discover he had fled, but found property that had been stolen in the earlier robbery.

Kimberly Elementary School was placed in Lock Down status during the manhunt, trapping students, teachers, and even some parents during the search for nearly 3 hours

Bake said police cordoned off the area and began a yard-to-yard search assisted by a county helicopter, while Murrieta police, located about 45 miles from Redlands, dispatched a bloodhound and handler to the area to assist in the search. Police were eventually led to a residence on Elizabeth St. where a female resident called to report her dog was barking and growling at shrubbery outside her home. Police found the suspect hiding under several feet of ivy. Additional property from the robbery was located on his person, Baker said.

During the search, Kimberly Elementary School, located at Cypress Ave. and Cajon St., was locked down from about 7:45 a.m. until shortly after 10:30 a.m. Few people in the lockdown, including parents who had dropped their children off at school, knew what was taking place. Later, teachers were told by a public address announcement to check their email for an explanation.

Barden was arrested on suspicion of home invasion robbery, kidnapping and burglary. He was taken to Central Detention Center in San Bernardino and held on $1 million bail.