Atwater suspect not the ‘brightest,’ police say when he returns to crime scene

A 35-year-old Delhi man was arrested early Sunday after police said he smashed a pawn shop window then returned to the scene while police still were at the shop investigating the damage, the Police Department reported.

“Some criminals aren’t the brightest people,” Chief Samuel Joseph told the Sun-Star in a telephone interview. “It’s an old cliche, the criminal always returns to the scene. That’s what this guy actually did.”

Before smashing the window of The Pawn Shop on Broadway Avenue, Benjamin M. Vaughan apparently asked a nearby witness “want to see me break this window,” officers reported. The witnesses apparently recorded Vaughan damaging the window, according to police.

Damage to the front window was estimated to be more than $1,000, officers said.

Officer Evan Pitney was reviewing the video of the incident when Vaughan “strolled past the business and was identified by the witness,” police said.

He was arrested without incident. Police said Vaughan denied any involvement in smashing the window even after police told him he was caught on camera.

Joseph said Vaughan has a history of vandalism in Atwater.

Vaughan was booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of damaging more than $1,000 in property, a felony. He remained in custody Monday.

This story was originally published November 20, 2017 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Atwater suspect not the ‘brightest,’ police say when he returns to crime scene."