POCONO TOWNSHIP — A man is behind bars on burglary charges after he was caught trying to steal from a jewelry store in Monroe County, according to state police.
Police arrested Kishime McCleod-Summerville Sunday after he broke into Bella Mia Jewels on Learn Road near Tannersville.
An automatic commercial burglar alarm brought police to Bella Mia Jewels Sunday afternoon.
Officer Jack Manuel says he was on scene in about a minute and immediately knew something wasn’t right.
“It was obvious as soon as I pulled up there was a window smashed out, middle of the day time on a Sunday afternoon.”
The Pocono Township officer could hear glass breaking inside the business that sells guns and ammunition.
A picture of the inside of the shop from the store’s Facebook page shows guns lining the back wall.
“Tension is very high at that point. You’re looking at a gun store, you don’t know if they’re going to just start shooting out the widows, you can’t see inside,” said Officer Manuel.
State police and two other local departments came for backup within minutes, and in big numbers. The call happened to come in during a shift change.
The gun shop was surrounded by flashing lights.
About a half hour into the incident, the suspect came to a window and started to surrender to police, but he came out with a gun in his hand.
Police say they told Kishime McCleod-Summerville of Tannersville to drop his weapon. He did, and police slapped handcuffs on the suspect.
Valerie Bauer of Canadensis knows the owners of Bella Mia Jewels.
“They’re amazing people and they didn’t deserve this.”
She works in the dentist office above the gun shop and says she’s thankful no one was hurt, but still can’t believe a break in like this would happen.
“We live here, we work here, kids go to school here, and the more we hear about it, it’s disturbing,” said Bauer.
McCleod-Summerville is charged with burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, criminal trespass, and criminal mischief.
He is locked up with bail set at $25,000.
