No-show Navy Recruit Arrested on Burglary Charges

An Ohio man -- who was scheduled to go into the Navy, but never showed up for training – was arrested on Sunday for burglary, according to a report by the Caledonia Police Department.

Tyler McElroy, 19, of Homeworth, Ohio, had been found living in an abandoned building, hadn’t eaten for five days, and allegedly broke into a home in the 700 block of Waters Edge twice.

McElroy had been reported missing by the Navy June 28 and by his aunt on July 1. However, he did not have any holds from the Navy indicating that he was absent without leave (AWOL), which would have been an additional charge, according to Lt. Gary Larsen.

Officers were called to a report of a burglary in progress and the homeowner had McElroy in custody at 7:24 p.m. Tuesday in the 700 block of Waters Edge. He allegedly took meat, snacks, and a wedding ring. The estimated value of the stolen items is over $3,000. However, while McElroy was inside the home, the homeowner had returned and McElroy ran out the back door.

The homeowner chased McElroy and caught him in the woods behind the homeowner’s property. At one point, McElroy stopped, picked up a log and had raised it. But then the homeowner also picked up a log and McElroy dropped the log he had in his hands. The homeowner told McElroy to get on the ground and another man, who lived nearby, told the man to empty his pockets.

Apologizing, McElroy told the two men that he was “homeless and hungry,” but then he got up and ran away. The homeowner, who still had a log in his hand, hit McElroy with the log as he was running away. The second man told the homeowner to stop hitting McElroy because they didn’t know if he had a weapon. McElroy left his backpack, the stolen items and wallet behind.

Caledonia Police Department saw McElroy Sunday afternoon in front of the old abandoned Western Publishing building next to Olympia Brown Elementary, 5915 Erie St.

Not wearing any shoes, McElroy looked disheveled and dirty, and fit the description of the man who reportedly burglarized two homes on Tuesday. Police took McElroy into custody.