Police: 18-Year-Old Steals from Sleeping Victim in College Green Park, Breaks into Nearby Apartment

An 18-year-old Iowa City resident has been arrested and faces several felonies for allegedly stealing from a sleeping man and burglarizing a nearby apartment on N. Johnson Street on two separate occasions in June.

According to Iowa City Police complaints, a search warrant for the apartment of Samuel Jeremiah Buatti, 18, of Iowa City revealed a series of items that were stolen on two different occasions in June. Buatti was then arrested yesterday and booked into the Johnson County Jail.

On June 16, police say that a man reported a theft in the early morning hours. He said he had fallen asleep in College Green Park on the way home, and had awoken at 2:00 a.m. to the sensation of someone going through his pockets. The thief, allegedly Buatti, made off with the man's iPod and wallet. Although the man chased Buatti he was unable to catch him.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen interviewed Vicki Lalla of the Iowa City Police and she told them that $470 was charged to a credit card found within that wallet.

Lalla also told the Press-Citizen that a second there is a suspect in the second incident, Taylin Anderson, that has not been arrested, yet.

The second incident occurred nine days later, at 321 N. Johnson Street. Police say Buatti was staying in an apartment in the building and knew that the occupants would be leaving that evening for a party. Buatti and a "co-defendant" allegedly entered the apartment through an unlocked door after scaling the balcony.

A witness allegedly saw the two in the apartment. Another witness allegedly told police that they had seen Buatti with a silver Mac Book Pro and the co-defendant stealing a flat screen television. Buatti and his co-defendant allegedly made comments to other witnesses acknowledging that they had committed the crime, according to the complaint.

A search of Buatti's apartment revealed a silver Mac Book pro under the mattress. The search also revealed iPods, a camera, and a television, according to the complaint. The value of the items was listed at $2,300.

Buatti was charged with first-degree theft, a Class C felony; second-degree theft, a Class D felony; and third-degree burglary, a class D felony. He is in the Johnson County Jail on $25,000 bond.

Sam Buatti is a recent graduate of City High School. He is shown in Twitter profile photo in a Little Hawk graduation cap and gown.