Observant off-duty officer puts brakes on 'carhopping' caper

Andrew Bleyl (Rochester Police photo)

ROCHESTER - When an off-duty Rochester Police Officer driving in to work his Sunday night shift saw an individual walking suspiciously along South Main Street, he decided to turn the car around and take a second look.

"The officer saw the guy had a hood over his head and he'd turn one way, then the other, then turn back again," Rochester Police Capt. and Public Information Officer Jason Thomas said on Tuesday.

The off-duty officer, Nicholas Alexander, was in the area of 206 South Main - between Benedict's Grill and Whitehall Road - and was heading into work the midnight shift when he noticed the individual, whose furtive movements prompted him to drive by and observe the individual three times.

"When he comes back the third time, he noticed him hiding next to bushes," Thomas said. "That's when he called dispatch."

According to police reports, Alexander then made contact with the individual, who was later found to be in possession of burglary tools.

Arrested at the scene was Andrew Bleyl, 30, of 189 South Main St., Apt. 1.

While not identifying the nature of the burglary tools due to an ongoing investigation, Thomas said Bleyl admitted he was going "carhopping," a term for scouting out cars to break into and steal from.

Bleyl was charged with possession of burglary tools, a Class B misdemeanor, as well as prowling and criminal trespass, both violations.