A Portage resident has been charged with burglary in connection with the forced entry of a home on May 24, Portage Police said.

Charged with burglary was Daniel O’Brien, 18, of 6410 Fallen Timbers Ave. in Portage, police said. Another suspect, a juvenile, was referred to the Porter County Juvenile Probation Department.

According to police, at 10:15 a.m. Thursday, May 24, officers responded to a report of a burglary in progress at a residence in the area of Portage Ave. and Pennsylvania Street. During that burglary, police said, that suspect stole a laptop computer and two loaded handguns.

An intensive search for the suspects was conducted, with the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies, K-9 units, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Police helicopter.

But the manhunt was unsuccessful. Investigators subsequently returned to the victim’s neighborhood and were able to review video footage from a neighbor’s security system, police said. That footage showed two known subjects with prior police contacts for theft, police said.

On Wednesday, May 30, investigators took O’Brien and the juvenile into custody and after “a lengthy interrogation” the two confessed, police said.

The two handguns taken in the burglary have not been recovered, police added.

Residential burglary is a Class B felony punishable by a term of six to 20 years.

Posted 6/5/2012