DES MOINES, Iowa
Two Des Moines women have been arrested and charged after police said they tried to break-in to a gas station while police were watching.
The burglars had scoped out the location, but they didn't notice the police officers who were just a few hundred feet away.
Two Des Moines police officers were sitting in their marked cars in a dark parking lot at Blank Golf Course.
"They heard a loud noise and looked across the street and literally across the street was a woman trying to break into the Git-N-Go," said Sgt. Scott Raudabaugh, a Des Moines police spokesman.
Police said they caught 31-year-old Alon Meisters in the act hitting the front door with a pry bar that the shattered door. She first attempted to smash the window, but the two panes of glass wouldn't break.
When police pulled into the lot, Meister was getting into the passenger side of a vehicle. They arrested her without incident.
The driver of the car, Susan Bishop, 66, was also taken into custody.
"Typically burglars tend to be males rather than females," said Raudbaugh.
Police said Meisters was wearing a black hoodie and black bandana around her neck. She had a large black garbage bag hanging from her back pocket and duct tape covered the front and back license plate on the car, officers said.
Police said Meisters asked if she could have her cellphone, which was in the car. It was found in the car with a text message on the screen: "If you got scanner listen for me, will you? I'm doing Army Post. I don't need luck. I need to be quick as hell and fearless. Being halfcracked helps too. OK, change of plans. She don't like Army Post. County Line Road it is."
Police said the women may be responsible for more break-ins. Meisters description matches a robber seen on surveillance video from gas-station burglary last month.
Both women are charged with attempted burglary and possession of burglary tools. Meisters remains in the Polk County Jail on $4,000 bond. Bishop posted bond Tuesday and was released.
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