A man who was wanted for breaking the law in Douglas, Washington, and Sarpy counties has been captured.
Monday morning members of the Fugitive Task Force arrested 25-year-old Matthew Miller at a Northwest Omaha apartment complex. Officers said Miller was staying with a relative. He was arrested without incident, though it appeared he opened the window and consider jumping from the third floor.
A week ago, welding equipment was stolen from a truck at the Super 8 motel in Blair. Later, on the other side of town, photographic equipment was stolen from a car at the Econolodge.
The first victim visited co-worker Lewis Carrillo at the Motel California on the edge of town. "Everything was in the back of the truck that was stolen, right here. It was right here," Carrillo said.
The stolen goods were in the back of a truck outside of room 12. Police were called. "Police everywhere, you know," Carrillo said. "So it was pretty scary."
Miller jumped out a back window, disappearing into a cornfield behind the motel. "It was really thick cover and a lot of places to hide and farm fields and we just weren't able to cover that large of an area that fast," Blair Police Lt. Aaron Barrow said.
Miller got away. Blair police later discovered Miller is well known to area law enforcement officers. "There are other victims throughout the area that would like to get their property back," Lt. Barrow said.
Paul Zeek is one of those victims. His lawn care equipment trailer was stolen in Omaha a few weeks ago. That resulted in Omaha police issuing a warrant for Miller's arrest.
