A 20-year-old Irvine man faces charges of eight burglaries and one attempted burglary in the city, according to court records obtained Friday.
Ismail Luqman Wasi pleaded not guilty Thursday to eight counts of first-degree burglary and a count of attempted burglary, all felonies. Wasi — an employee of the OC Fair and Events Center — was being held on $250,000 bail.
He’s next due in court Feb. 1 for a pretrial hearing at the Harbor Justice Center, according to jail records.
Wasi was caught following a foot chase Wednesday morning, according to Kim Mohr of the Irvine Police Department.
A resident on Gillman who heard a burglar breaking in got up to investigate and saw the suspect holding her laptop, according to Mohr. The burglar fled and the resident called police, Mohr said.
Later Wednesday, Wasi broke into homes on Dewberry and Sandburg Way, Mohr said. When the suspect was seen near the Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course, police narrowed their search and saw him about 7:25 a.m., prompting the foot chase, Mohr said.
Police allege he had goods stolen from the home on Gillman as well as from a break-in in December when investigators say his string of burglaries began, Mohr said. Police found more stolen goods in his storage unit, Mohr alleged.
Wasi is charged with three burglaries on Wednesday, an attempted break in on Monday, one on Sunday, one on Saturday, one on Jan. 16 and two on Dec. 30, according to court records.
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