Sneakers lead to burglary arrest

Air Jordans matched to footprint at crime scene

Updated: Wednesday, 22 Jun 2011, 2:07 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 22 Jun 2011, 12:59 PM EDT

* Anthony Fay

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Springfield Police are crediting a pair of Nike Air Jordan sneakers with helping them arrest a man and woman for an apartment break-in.

Emmanuel Velazquez-Garcia, 34, and Lyndsay Paquette, 25, both of Springfield, are accused of breaking into a South End apartment early Wednesday morning.

Springfield Police Sergeant John Delaney told 22News that around 3:30 A.M. officers driving their cruiser down Oswego Street noticed Velazquez-Garcia and Paquette were trying to hide from them. As the officers got out of the car to question them, a 9-1-1 call came in that an apartment on the street had been burglarized.

According to Delaney, officers who went to investigate at the apartment noticed that the door had been kicked-open by someone wearing a pair of Nike Air Jordans. They asked the officers questioning Velazquez-Garcia and Paquette whether either of them happened to be wearing those shoes. Velazquez-Garcia was indeed wearing a pair of Nike Air Jordans, Delaney says. Velazquez-Garcia’s sneaker was then brought to the apartment, where it perfectly matched the print left on the door.

On searching Velazquez-Garcia and Paquette, they found stolen credit cards and ID’s. Inside Paquette’s bra, Delaney says officers found a screwdriver, a razor blade, and a syringe. The screwdriver matched with pry marks found inside the apartment.

Both Velazquez-Garcia and Paquette are being charged with breaking and entering in the nighttime, possession of burglarious tools, receiving stolen credit cards, and receiving stolen property. Both are being arraigned in Springfield District Court.