A career burglar has been accused of another burglary, this time outrunning authorities when they tried to arrest.
The suspect, Ronald Aho, 49, is charged with aggravated burglary for breaking into a home on N. Spring Street. He is also suspected in another burglary in town.
His most recent arrest comes after an observant family member noticed a dark Volkswagen driven by Aho sitting under her sister’s carport. The woman said she pulled into the driveway around 10 p.m. and waited for a short time.
“Ronald Aho came up from behind her car and told her he was looking for somebody,” said McMinnville police investigator Barry Powers.
Not believing Aho, the woman announced she was calling police.
“The subject got into the black Volkswagen and fled,” Power said, noting police then went inside the house. “They found a TV had been moved and was right next to the door.”
Powers said Aho gained access by kicking in the back door.
There were two attempts made to stop Aho that evening by both city and county lawmen. He was able to evade them on both occasions.
His charges come after he was given six years following a burglary incident in early 2010. He is out of jail now because sentencing guidelines typically call for criminals to serve only about 30 percent of their sentence. In 2010, he entered a guilty plea to charges he broke into a home near the Civic Center and stole electronics.
Family members maintained he only entered the plea back in 2010 to avoid a much longer jail term given his lengthy criminal record. Prosecutors had planned to use his 12 prior burglary convictions to enhance his punishment on that occasion.
Aho will face hearing on his new charge Nov. 20.