Underwear Clad Man Arrested on Burglary, Robbery Charges

CONCORD, NH - A Manchester man was arrested recently and held without bail after allegedly burglarizing the home of an elderly couple, according to an arrest report and court affidavit.

Jonah P. Welby, 26, of President Road in Manchester, was arrested on Feb. 27, 2016, and charged with two felony burglary counts, felony robbery, two counts of simple assault, criminal trespass, and obstructing the report of a crime or injury.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Concord Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link to find out how to get a name removed from a New Hampshire Patch police report.

At around 5 p.m. on Feb. 27, officers were sent to High Ridge Trail for a report of a burglary involving a man dressed in nothing but underwear assaulting an elderly man, stealing a pair of pants, and fleeing the area, according to a court affidavit.

• Sign up for news alerts from local New Hampshire Patch sites.

The first officer spoke to an elderly woman who stated that she was in her manufactured home when a man burst into the home via a porch, pushed her and her husband, stole clothing, and then fled, according to the report.

“She was visibly upset and frantic,” the officer noted.

They took a description of the man – about 6-feet tall, skinny, with lime green underwear – and attempted to find him. The woman told the reporting officer that she was sleeping when her husband called out for help and she saw this “young kid” standing in her living room, who kept yelling that he wanted a pair of pants, over and over again, according to the report.

“(She) told the male to leave several times but he didn’t,” the officer wrote. “(The victim) described the man’s behavior as ‘wild, out of control, and flailing his arms and legs.’”

She went to call 911 but the man ordered her not to and then reportedly pushed her arm and knocked the phone away. The man reportedly grabbed two pairs of pants and some shoes and then left.

After interviewing the husband and analyzing the crime scene – which showed things strewn all around the home – a man approached the scene to speak to officers and reportedly apologized for his boyfriend’s behavior, according to an affidavit. The man identified the suspect as Welby and stated he had been staying with him at another address nearby. The man stated that Welby was sleeping earlier, woke up, and then reportedly “flipped out.” He went to find some clothes for him and when he returned, Welby had reportedly left.

A detective, sergeant, and other officers were then called, a short time later, to Crestwood Drive, for a suspect matching the description.

A woman stated she was walking her dog and saw a man on the floor of her porch and he appeared to be hiding. She called police and they reportedly determined it was Welby and matched him to a previous booking photo from Rockingham County. He was arrested and held without bail.

During the past few years, Welby has been arrested a number of times, on charges ranging from failure to appear at the arraignment of a heroin possession charge and possession of psilocin, warrants, nonpayment of fine, and other drug charges.