Hunter
05/20/20
An Iowa City man who once referred to himself as “The Messiah” was arrested Tuesday on charges that he stole a woman’s purse and used her debit card to make purchases at various locations.
Police were dispatched to the 300 block of South Madison Street on March 7th on reports of a burglary. The victim, a woman, reported waking up to find out that her purse had gone missing overnight. She checked her bank account and discovered that her debit card was being used at various locations without her authorization.
A check of video surveillance reportedly showed 30-year-old Michael Welker of the 2800 block of Highway 6 East entering the residence at 2am that same day, following the victim into the residence undetected and leaving quickly carrying a purse.
The officer also discovered that Welker had been in the building the previous night and stole a television, and was then seen attempting to burglarize vehicles in the underground parking area.
Last month, he was observed on camera with another individual forcing entry into an apartment building on South Dubuque Street. When he learned police were on their way, he allegedly broke a window and was located on the roof of the building. He reportedly had a backpack containing multiple stolen items, and refused to identify himself, only stating he was “the Messiah.”
Court records show a string of warrants, and if convicted on all charges, including the 2nd degree Burglary charge from the March 7th incident, faces imprisonment of up to over 24 years.
