WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, April 3, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A suspect was taken into custody Thursday after a bizarre string of events that began with him allegedly asking a stranger for money, and ended with him hiding behind a shed as officers closed in.
Pini Talo, 29, was arrested and booked into Salt Lake County jail on multiple charges, including burglary, aggravated assault, theft, and child kidnapping.
West Valley City Police Lt. Steve Katz told Gephardt Daily that police were called at 1:05 p.m. Thursday to a home invasion robbery in the area of 4600 South and 4700 West.
He said officers were advised that the male victim had returned from the store and was walking to his apartment when he was approached by the suspect, who asked him for money.
The victim told the suspect “no,” and went to his apartment, unaware that the suspect was following him.
Katz said Talo had “some sort of lock in a backpack,” and he apparently used it to hit the victim twice in the head, knocking him unconscious.
The suspect then fled, driving away in the victim’s truck, which still had the keys in it, according to the police report.
Katz said it was reported that the suspect also had approached an 11-year-old boy and tried to lure him into the truck, but the child refused and ran away.
Police caught up with the truck and attempted to make a traffic stop, but after briefly stopping, the suspect drove off, and police opted not to pursue him.
Another officer came upon the truck abandoned in the neighborhood, Katz said, and Talo was found hiding behind a shed in a backyard.
According to jail documents, Talo is facing charges of:
- Burglary of a dwelling
- Aggravated assault
- Failure to stop at command of a law enforcement officer
- Two counts of theft
- Child kidnapping
- Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
- Violation of parole or probation
Gephardt Daily will update this story as more information becomes available.
