News
Burglary suspect Tasered, stopped
Looking for a print version?
Simply use your browser’s ‘Print’ command and a printer-friendly document will be generated automatically.
Also by Becky Vevea and Meghan Maginot:
Sharing tools:
E-mail this article:
A 26-year-old Madison man was listening to opera music on his laptop early Monday evening in his apartment on East Gorham Street, when he saw two hands reach through the nearby window screen and grab the laptop.
Taurus Bowdry, 34, of Madison has been charged with residential burglary, resisting a law enforcement officer, battery to a law enforcement officer and a parole hold.
Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, said students are often victims of residential burglaries because they have a lot of expensive electronic equipment.
“The big ticket items are always the ones that are going to be targeted first,” Judge said.
The victim was able to recover the stolen laptop by the time extra backup arrived.
According to the police report, an officer on duty in James Madison Park responded to screams from the victim nearby, who had already begun to chase the burglar.
The officer and other witnesses continued the foot chase until the suspect came to a fence. A pursuing policeman tried to contain the suspect but was struck in the chest.
A nearby witness, who had previously been a wrestler, grabbed the suspect and pinned him to the ground. When more backup arrived, the suspect was still struggling, so the police used a Taser device to stop the suspect from escaping.
According to Judge, police using Tasers is not a common occurrence.
There have already been several residential burglaries around the campus area this year, and police try to inform students of ways they can keep themselves and their belongings safe.
One of the problems, Judge said, with communicating this safety concern to students is that “authority figures start to sound like Mom and Dad.”
Judge said students should lock their doors and windows, make sure all their roommates have keys and never prop doors open.
“All of these super simple facts of life — if everybody did those, burglaries would drop through the floor, guaranteed,” Judge said.
Students can do other things to secure their electronics, such as using a laptop cord. Judge said students should buy renter’s insurance because it is cheap and helps a lot in cases like this.
“Just lock your doors,” Judge said. “It will make your life so much easier.”
4 Comments | Leave a comment
Leave a comment
Herald Blogs
The Beat Goes On
Brother Ali makes an ‘Exclusive’ stop
Muckrakers
Report: Barrett to make decision by the end of the week
Extra Points
Top Classified Ads (view all)
HOUSES FOR Fall 2010. All houses are on W Dayton or N Bassett. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 bedrooms. All have parking. madisoncampusrentals.com
IP hash: fe46d4c8
Lock your doors until they cut a screen in your bedroom…
IP hash: 3c840b36
Why would you put your laptop right next to an open ground floor window? That’s the kind of thing that drives me crazy about this town.
IP hash: 94f28923
Scary!! This man was incarcerated for 10 or 15 years straight. He was in the SuperMax Prison in Boscobel Wi. So sad he was released into society and still committing crimes.
IP hash: d49b6528
I looked him up because i got a letter from him in prison saying he was in love with me after he allegedly met me. i dont remember this guy and this just creeped me out even more.