Talk about bad timing. A Colorado man accused of breaking into homes and wreaking havoc across a mountain town practically turned himself in — by strutting straight into the cameras covering his alleged crime spree.
Reporters in Idaho Springs were live on the scene Friday, telling viewers about a burglary suspect who had eluded deputies all week. Suddenly, there he was.
“I couldn’t believe it,” CBS News Colorado anchor Justin Adams admitted. “I’m literally describing this guy on live TV, and then he just walks right by us.”
Within moments, journalists dropped their notepads and picked up their phones, alerting deputies to the bizarre cameo.
Authorities say 32-year-old Richard Applequist had caused more than $4,000 in damage during a string of burglaries and trespasses. Deputies had been chasing leads for days.
But when Applequist realized cameras had caught him, he bolted. He crashed his vehicle in a frantic attempt to escape before officers swooped in. Ten minutes later, the manhunt was over.
The Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the arrest in a Facebook post, giving credit to sharp-eyed journalists who spotted the suspect in real time.
Applequist is now facing multiple charges tied to the break-ins. Locals say the capture felt more like a movie scene than a routine police bust.
As one stunned resident told reporters: “You can’t make this stuff up. He literally walked into his own arrest.”
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