Two boys arrested for burglary

Jackson police arrested two boys, ages 13 and 14, on suspicion of burglary Monday after one of the boys was tracked to a taxicab going to Toys "R" Us in Cape Girardeau.

According to Lt. Rodney Barnes of the Jackson Police Department, the two reportedly burglarized a house Sunday in the 700 block of Greensferry Road while the owner was away and made off with some money. Barnes said one of the boys went back Monday and fled when the owner of the house discovered him on the back porch. The owner then discovered the burglary. Barnes said the boys apparently knew the owner of the house.

Jackson police officer Paul Kembel and his police dog, Baron, tracked the suspect to a house on Forrest Drive a few blocks away from the burglarized home. No one was home when police arrived, but Barnes said that police Capt. Robert Hull noticed a taxi leaving the area.

"We called the cab company, and they said they picked up a fare at the house," Barnes said.

Cape Girardeau police intercepted the cab, which allegedly was taking the 14-year-old to Toys "R" Us. Officers took him into custody. That arrest led to the arrest of the younger boy who was taken into custody at R.O. Hawkins Junior High, where he had allegedly handed out money to three or four of his friends, Barnes said.

Much of the stolen money has been recovered, Barnes said, and police are still tracking down some of the cash.

"We're very pleased the way everything went down," he said.

The two boys are in the juvenile detention center awaiting the filing of burglary charges.