An Illinois man was arrested after breaking into a hotel room, according to the Chesterton Police Department.
On Tuesday, at about 9:30 a.m., officers were dispatched to the Quality Inn hotel on Council Road after staff reported that an unknown male subject had fled from a room, which had not been rented in nearly 2 weeks.
The room had been discovered locked from the inside, and employees noticed movement behind the curtains when checking the exterior window. Moments later, the man exited the room, ignored the hotel owner’s attempts to question him, and fled on foot toward Roberts Road.
Police reviewed video surveillance from a local business and observed the suspect walking to a maroon sedan parked near Roberts Road and leaving the area. Using the Flock License Plate Readers (LPRs), officers identified the suspect vehicle, which was registered to 47-year-old Abdullah Zegar of Illinois.
A coordinated search led Chesterton Police Department Investigations Commander Sgt. Justin Frever to the Comfort Inn on US 20 in Porter, Indiana at approximately 11:15 a.m., where the suspect vehicle was located in the hotel parking lot. Inside the hotel, officers found a male matching the suspect’s description in the pool area. He was identified as Abdullah Zegar using his Illinois driver’s license and was taken into custody without incident.
During an interview with Chesterton Police Department detectives, Zegar admitted to entering the hotel room through the rear window, which had been found with its screen removed. He also acknowledged staying in the room overnight without registering as a guest or paying for the room. Detectives also learned that Zegar was arrested in the Traverse City area of Michigan last month under similar circumstances.
Zegar was charged with burglary as a felony and theft as a misdemeanor.
Chesterton Chief of Police Tim Richardson stated, “I want to recognize and thank the Chesterton Police Department’s Patrol and Investigation divisions for their quick response and exceptional teamwork, which were instrumental in resolving this case so rapidly. I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to the Porter Police Department and the Porter County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance during this investigation.”
“Additionally, I want to highlight the critical role our Flock license plate recognition cameras played in identifying the suspect within minutes. This technology continues to serve as a vital tool for our officers, enhancing our ability to protect the community and ensure offenders are swiftly brought to justice.”