Tyler

One suspect evaded police during questioning Tuesday, and investigators continue to search for multiple suspects in connection with the late-night burglary of a local deli, police said.

Acting on a tip from a witness, police executed a search warrant on Apartment 255 in the Salado Apartment complex today about noon. While interviewing the apartment’s occupants, Jason Hanlon, 18, fled, leaving his identification card in the hand of a detective. He was being questioned about the Monday night burglary of Sam’s Deli in the 6000 block of South Broadway Avenue, said Tyler Police Department Public Information Officer Don Martin.

Around 11:50 p.m. Monday, police answered a suspicious noise call after the caller heard “breaking glass,” Martin said. Police responded to Sam’s Deli in the 6000 block of South Broadway Avenue and found the front window broken.

Police believe Hanlon was one of multiple suspects who broke through the large storefront window of the deli and grabbed several cases of alcoholic beverages and an undisclosed amount of cash, Martin said. Martin said a witness saw several persons running across the street with bottles and boxes, assumed to be the stolen items, and enter the apartment complex.

Tuesday morning, police were given a search warrant to enter the apartment where they believed at least two of the suspects remained from the previous night’s crime. During the search, police discovered a small amount of marijuana, empty beer and wine cases believed to be from the deli, and a .38 pistol police found inside the toilet’s water tank. Martin said Hanlon and another person remain the only suspects police have identified to this point, and that no arrests have been made.

Martin said police are running fingerprints on the beer and wine boxes taken from the scene and hope to identify more of the suspects soon.

Damages to the restaurant are estimated at more than $2,000. Police have not taken anyone into custody and the investigation will continue. Martin said Hanlon is a white male with a cast on his right hand, and asks that anyone with information about his whereabouts contact police. If anyone has further information about this case, please contact police at 903-597-CUFF.