Suspect escapes deputy by diving through shut window, but leaves behind one crucial clue
An Oklahoma burglary suspect escaped by diving through a closed window, then allegedly left behind a backpack with his driver's license.
A burglary suspect in Oklahoma County managed to get away in a way that even deputies said stood out. Body camera footage shows the man diving through a closed window during an investigation at a vacant home, only to leave behind the item that helped identify him.
The escape happened on Oct. 1 while a deputy was looking into a burglary at an unoccupied property in Oklahoma County. According to the sheriff's office, the deputy went to the back of the house and found that the rear door had been forced open.
Investigators said the suspect was believed to be taking copper from appliances and from inside the walls. As the deputy closed in, body camera video captured the suspect going straight through a shut window to get away.
Aaron Brilbeck of the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office said the deputy involved was experienced and had never seen anything quite like it. By the time the deputy got outside, the suspect was already gone.
The search did not stop there. The deputy tried to locate the man using a patrol car, then sent up a drone in an effort to track him down. A nearby home was also searched, but the suspect was not found.
What officers did find was a major break in the case. Along with a bicycle, investigators recovered a backpack. Inside it, Brilbeck said, was the suspect's driver's license, which made identification straightforward.
Brilbeck also said the suspect has a criminal history in Oklahoma County that includes theft, drug related offenses and an assault charge.
Even with that identification and the unusual body camera footage, the suspect had not been caught and remained on the run.
Why crashing through a window is so dangerous
A closed window is not designed to take the force of a person hitting it. Depending on the type of glass, it may break into long sharp shards, small blunt pieces, or stay partly held together by a plastic layer. Any of those outcomes can cause deep cuts, heavy bleeding, eye injuries, and damage to tendons or nerves.
If someone goes through glass, the safest response is to treat it as a medical emergency if bleeding is hard to control, a wound is deep, or glass is stuck in the body. Apply firm pressure with a clean cloth, avoid pulling out embedded pieces, and get urgent help. Even smaller cuts can hide fragments, so they should be cleaned and checked properly.
Why broken glass often leaves evidence behind
Windows and frames can hold onto all kinds of trace evidence. Broken glass can catch blood, hair, skin cells, fibres from clothing, and fingerprints on smoother parts of the frame or nearby surfaces. People also commonly drop personal items in the scramble, such as phones, keys, wallets, hats, or shoes.
That is why a smashed window can tell a clear story about what happened, even after someone has gone. For anyone dealing with a break-in or suspicious damage, it is usually best not to tidy up straight away. Keep others away from the area, take photos if safe, and avoid touching fragments or nearby surfaces more than necessary.
What to do after a window is smashed
Once immediate injuries and safety risks are dealt with, block access to the area and keep children and pets away from loose glass. Wear thick gloves and solid shoes if you must move nearby. Temporary boarding or heavy plastic sheeting can help reduce drafts and further hazards until repairs are made.
For prevention, stronger glazing, security film, working window locks, and trimmed shrubs around ground level windows can all make forced entry harder. Good outdoor lighting and cameras may also help identify what happened later.
