Police: Vehicle theft suspect broke into house, changed into resident’s clothing to avoid capture
BOOKING PHOTO: Chico PD
A Butte County man has been arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft and residential burglary.
Just after 9:15 AM on March 15, police received a call about a man taking bicycles apart in the area of East Lindo Avenue and Downing Avenue.
There officers contacted the subject and also ran a plate check on his Ford Aerostar parked nearby. The plate came back as being registered to a Mercedes.
Officers then checked the Aerostar’s VIN and discovered the car had been reported stolen out of Fair Oaks.
The subject fled on foot after officers tried to detain him and made his way to a backyard on the 2100 block of North Avenue.
Police quickly set up a perimeter and brought in a police K-9. Soon afterwards, the residents of a home on Montclair Drive called 9-1-1 to report that a man had entered their home and changed into one of the residents’ clothing.
Officers caught up with the subject and took him into custody. Though he initially provided a false name, he was identified during booking as 30-year-old Tyler Mickel.
He remains in custody on numerous felony charges including vehicle theft, residential burglary, and a felony warrant.
