Tulsa Homeowner Helps Police Capture Burglar

Dee Duren, NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma -- Tulsa Police snared three burglary suspects in the early hours of Wednesday morning - one who had been already caught by the homeowner.

Police were called to a home in the 700 block of South Maplewood Avenue at about 5:45 a.m. to learn the homeowner already had their suspect in custody.

The homeowner told police that he was getting ready for work when he noticed a man sitting on the curb outside his home. The man went back inside to warn his wife, and the suspect ran to the back of the house and got in an unlocked door.

The homeowner fought with the suspect and held him until officers arrived. The suspect, 58-year-old Richard Terrell Tharp, was arrested on a complaint of first degree burglary.

According to the arrest report, Tharp appeared to be heavily intoxicated. He also has a record of several felony convictions, the report states.

Two other suspects were arrested after police were called to Staffa Pharmacy, 8002 S. Sheridan Road, to investigate an alarm. They discovered the pharmacy had been burglarized and got a description of the suspects' vehicle.

Police stopped the truck about 15 minutes later in the 5300 block of East 51st Street. Two men were taken into custody: Kenneth Lane McClellan III, 25, and Christopher Darnell Lewis, 22.

They were booked into Tulsa County Jail on complaints of second degree burglary.