MASON CITY – Saturday morning at about 2:13 AM a Mason City resident in the 200 block of 27th Street SW heard someone attempting to make entry into his home.
The resident immediately called police.
After the subject was unable to gain entry to the home, the resident chose not to confront the subject, but rather stayed in his home until police arrived. The resident stayed on the phone with the dispatcher and gave description of the subject and his actions.
A few moments later, the subject entered a truck parked in the resident’s driveway, started it up and drove away. At this time, the resident got into a second vehicle and followed the subject, who was now driving a stolen truck. The resident continued to stay on the phone with the dispatcher while he followed the subject to the area of 29th Street and South Washington Ave. Mason City police officers took the subject into custody at that point.
The subject was identified at Murtaza Ahmed, 18, of Mason City. Ahmed was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Cerro Gordo County Jail. Ahmed was charged with second degree attempted burglary, theft in the second degree and operating while intoxicated. The theft and burglary charges are both class D felonies. The OWI charge is a serious misdemeanor. Ahmed posted bond and was released.
The Mason City Police Department reminds citizens to lock all your doors and remove all keys from your vehicles. In this case, the resident was instrumental in the apprehension of the subject. If you find yourself witnessing a crime, call 911 first and relay everything your are seeing to the dispatcher so that way officers can be notified and respond accordingly.
SUBJECT IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY
