Man suspected of kicking down an Ogden woman’s door and stealing her jar of change
Oct 28, 2024, 11:52 AM

FILE - Ogden City Police patch. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
OGDEN — A man allegedly held a knife against another man’s back, broke into a woman’s apartment, and stole a jar full of change from her nightstand Sunday night.
Michael Gutierrez, 35, was booked into the Weber County Jail on suspicion of aggravated kidnapping, burglary of a dwelling, possessing a dangerous weapon as a restricted person, intoxication, use of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, theft below $500, and property damage below $500, according to arresting documents.
The police affidavit stated that Ogden police officers responded to a call of a burglary in progress at an unnamed apartment complex. Callers reported that a man, later identified as Gutierrez, kicked down a woman’s door and stole a jar of change before fleeing on foot.
When officers arrived, they reported that the apartment’s fire alarm had been activated, and the window on the front door had shattered. The affidavit stated they saw Gutierrez, who matched the suspect description, running down the stairs and exiting out of the front door with a pocket knife in his hand.
According to the affidavit, an officer ordered Gutierrez to stop at gunpoint, drop the knife, and lie down. Gutierrez complied and was taken into custody without further issue.
Police reported that Gutierrez had thrown a bench from the top of the stairs in front of the apartment building, which collided with the front door and shattered window. The fire department told police that a pull alarm started the fire alarm, and while no witnesses reported seeing Gutierrez doing this, officers believed he did.
“As officers moved farther into the building to contact the complainant, a large number of pennies were observed strewn across the floor in the hallway outside of the elevator,” the affidavit stated.
When officers arrived at the woman’s door, it was reported to have been “damaged extensively to the point where the door could not be secured.”
The woman told officers that Gutierrez kicked open her door and told her that someone was trying to kill him. She said Gutierrez tried to take her keys but told him not to. He then grabbed a jar full of change from her nightstand and fled.
While investigating the burglary, another apartment resident told officers that Gutierrez held him at knifepoint and “forced him to walk around the building with him.”
The man told police that he encountered Gutierrez “in the basement of the building, and (Gutierrez) approached him with the knife brandished, demanding that the victim help him. (Gutierrez) informed the victim that someone was trying to kill him, and he needed his help.”
According to the affidavit, Gutierrez grabbed the man’s sleeve, turned him around, and pressed the tip of the knife against his back. Gutierrez told the man that he was “using him as a shield” and forced him to walk throughout the apartment complex.
“At one point, (Gutierrez) entered a door ahead of the victim, so the victim slammed the door and then ran away back to his apartment,” the affidavit stated. “It is believed that (Gutierrez) then traveled to the initial complainant’s apartment to commit the burglary.”
The man told police that Gutierrez was “acting paranoid and manic” while the two were together. He also said it looked like Gutierrez was “looking for something.”
During the search of Gutierrez, police found methamphetamine on his person, along with a pipe. After being read his Miranda rights, Gutierrez admitted to using the drug and the pipe.
Gutierrez also admitted to police that he threw the bench at the apartment complex front window and kicked down the woman’s door. However, he said he did not remember kidnapping the man and stealing the jar of change, stating that he was “super high.”