Police: Richmond woman broke into garage, claimed to be an officer
RICHMOND, Ind. — A Richmond woman was arrested after she allegedly broke into a local garage and then claimed to be a police officer.
Niccola Marie Vanhook, 51, was charged Wednesday in Wayne Circuit Court with burglary, theft and intimidation.
Richmond police about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday were called to the garage, in the process of being remodeled, along South 13th Street.
A witness said he saw a woman enter the garage, and an officer observed a ladder leading to a second-story window. Lights were also on in the building's upper floor, according to an affidavit.
When an officer entered the structure, he announced his presence and Vanhook — behind a locked door on the second floor — said he couldn't be a police officer because she was one, according to the court document.
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A short time later, the Richmond woman reportedly told the officer she would shoot him.
After the door was forced open, Vanhook reportedly refused to drop an object that was in her hands. She was then shocked with an electronic stun device and taken into custody.
She was taken to Reid Hospital for an examination before being delivered to the Wayne County Jail, where she continued to be held Friday under a $35,000 bond.
The property owner reported a radio had been taken from a vehicle parked in the garage, and that there was "damage to items upstairs." Police were also told that heat had been turned on in the garage, resulting in a significantly higher utility bill.
The burglary count against Vanhook is a Level 5 felony carrying up to six years in prison, while the other two charges — theft and intimidation — are Level 6 felonies with maximum 30-month sentences.
According to court records, Vanhook has been convicted of crimes including battery, criminal trespass and theft.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Garage break-in, standoff leads to Richmond woman's arrest
