Kearney Police Department (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)

KEARNEY – Today at 1:05 p.m., Kearney Police responded to a series of events that resulted in the arrest of a burglary suspect east of Walmart.

Around noon, emergency dispatch received a report that a suspicious man was hiding under vehicles in the Walmart parking lot. KPD officers were dispatched to the scene and conducted a thorough search, but were unable to locate the person.

Less than an hour later, KPD received a call from a residence near Parklane Drive and East 54th Street. The homeowner reported that an unknown man had entered his home and attempted to steal his vehicle. The suspect was chased out of the home by the homeowner. In an attempt to escape, the suspect attempted to steal a car from a nearby home, but the homeowner intervened and managed to pull the suspect from the vehicle.

When KPD officers arrived at the scene, the suspect fled on foot. A police tracking dog unit was immediately deployed and successfully tracked and located the suspect hiding under an evergreen tree a few houses away. The suspect was promptly arrested and taken to the Buffalo County Jail.

The suspect has been identified as Justin Coccorese, a 36-year-old homeless man from the Gibbon area. He is charged with several crimes, including robbery, burglary, attempted theft and first-degree trespassing.

The Kearney Police Department would like to commend the quick thinking and decisive actions of the affected residents, as well as the swift response of the officers and canine unit. This incident reminds us of the importance of community vigilance and cooperation in keeping our neighborhoods safe.

The Kearney Police Department continues to investigate this incident. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Investigator Taillon with the Kearney Police Department at (308) 237-2104, Buffalo County Crimestoppers at (308) 237-3424, or through the See Something Send Something app.