Artesia police officers arrested a 48-year-old Artesia man early Monday morning after they found him lurking in the area as they investigated a commercial breaking and entering on South First Street.

According to APD spokesman Sgt. Lindell Smith, officers were dispatched to 801 S. First St. just before 5 a.m. Monday in reference to a commercial alarm. “When the officers arrived, they noticed one of the doors wasn’t secured,” he told the Daily Press this morning.

After the officers had entered the building, Smith said they found dry wall and debris on a desk and on the floor, as well as a shoe print made on the desk from the suspect walking in the dry wall material. “While they were searching the place at gunpoint for a suspect, they heard footsteps on the roof,” Smith said.

On the rooftop, he said the officers found a crow bar, but no suspect.

“While two of the officers were searching the building, one of the officers walked across the street to talk to a man – later identified as 48-year-old Donald Lawson -who seemed to be watching them,” Smith said. “He was pretending to air up his tires.”

According to Smith, when the officer contacted Lawson, he had “white chalky residue on his left knee and the shoulder of his shirt.” “The officer looked at the pattern on the bottom of Mr. Lawson’s shoes and noticed it was consistent with the footprint they found on the desk,” he added.

Lawson was arrested and charged with a fourth-degree felony count of breaking and entering. If convicted, he faces up to 18 months in prison and fines of up to $5,000.
“Businesses should consider installing alarm systems because that was one of the major contributing factors in our response time and our ability to find the suspect if still in the area,” Smith said. “It is not a requirement, but it certainly helps.”

Anyone with information relating to this crime or any other crime is asked to call the Artesia Police Department at 746-5000 or can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 748-2323.

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