A Nashua man allegedly tried to hide from police inside the drop ceiling of a South Main Street convenience store's bathroom, only to have his feet punch through the tiles and give away exactly where he was. Luis Morales Reyes, 47, of Nashua, now faces charges in connection with that break-in and a second burglary reported hours later nearby.
Break-In Interrupted by a Neighbor's Call
According to the Lowell Sun, Nashua police were dispatched to HRA Market at 590 S. Main St. shortly after 1:50 a.m. on Oct. 17 after a resident reported a man wearing dark clothing forcing entry into the store. Separately, nashua.inklink.news reported that officers responded to that same report of a man forcing entry into the market. Police say Reyes admitted to forcing his way in by damaging the store's front glass door.
Once inside, police allege Reyes tried to leave the way he came in, through that same broken glass door, before attempting to escape through a small window instead. Neither route worked out, so he reportedly retreated to the rear bathroom and climbed up into the drop ceiling to hide. That decision did not go well for him.
A Hiding Spot With a Fatal Flaw
The police complaint states that officers observed Reyes's feet puncture through the ceiling multiple times as he tried to conceal himself, according to the Lowell Sun's account. Nashua police arrested him after his feet broke through the ceiling, pinpointing his location inside the business. The same account notes that an inklink.news report on the incident confirmed Reyes was stuck and could not exit, and that he attempted to flee through the rear of the store before officers detained and arrested him.
Inside the store, police say a cash register had been severely damaged and money had been removed from its drawers, with Reyes allegedly using a hammer found inside the market to pry it open. Several rolls of scratch tickets had been removed from their display and were later found in the bathroom where Reyes had been hiding. The incident left several ceiling tiles, a door and a window damaged, police said. HRA Market's owner estimated that approximately $150 had been taken from the register and that the register itself was damaged to the tune of roughly $2,300, though those figures come from the owner's own estimate rather than an independently verified total. When Reyes was taken into custody, police said he was carrying $153 in assorted $1 and $5 bills.
Second Burglary Nearby Linked by Surveillance Video
Hours after the HRA Market incident, Nashua police responded to a separate burglary report at Scrap Metals Inc. at 128 E. Glenwood St. Court records indicate a window had been forced open and the business office ransacked, with police saying approximately $122 in cash was allegedly taken. While being questioned, Reyes denied involvement in any other burglaries, police said. But detectives told the inklink.news that interviews and surveillance footage were enough for them to determine Reyes was responsible for both burglaries, and the Lowell Sun reported that police concluded he was behind the Scrap Metals Inc. break-in after reviewing surveillance footage and conducting interviews.
Charges, Bail and a Pending Hearing
Reyes was charged with two counts of burglary, one felony count of criminal mischief, one count of resisting arrest or detention, and two misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief, according to the Lowell Sun. The inklink.news report similarly detailed two counts of burglary as a Class B felony, criminal mischief as a Class B felony, resisting arrest or detention as a Class A misdemeanor, and two additional misdemeanor criminal mischief counts.
He was arraigned Monday in the 9th Circuit Nashua District Court, where he pleaded not guilty to the resisting arrest and misdemeanor criminal mischief charges but entered no plea on the two burglary charges and the felony criminal mischief charge, according to court documents cited by the Lowell Sun. Under New Hampshire court procedure, no plea is taken on felony charges at the district court stage, and defendants instead receive notice of a probable-cause hearing, according to the New Hampshire Judicial Branch. Reyes was ordered held on $2,500 cash bail and is scheduled to return to court Tuesday for that probable-cause hearing.
Nashua police have asked anyone with information about either burglary to contact the department's crime line at 603-589-1665.
