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WEST VALLEY CITY — A man accused of committing a home invasion robbery before attempting to kidnap a child was charged Tuesday with a number of felonies.
On March 29, investigators say Pini Talo, 29, engaged in a bizarre series of events, starting with walking near an apartment complex, 4634 S. 4685 West, and offering a random 11-year-old boy a beer, the charges state.
As Talo continued walking, he walked up to a man who was getting out of his truck, asked him for money, then for his "prescriptions" when the man refused to give him money, the charges state. As the man walked to his apartment, Talo followed him inside, struck him over the head with a beer bottle, then took his truck, according to charging documents.
On his way out, Talo stopped by the boy he had given a beer to and told him to get in, the charges state. The boy, instead, ran to his friend's apartment.
Responding officers spotted Talo near 4800 West and 4600 South and pulled him over in a store parking lot. But as officers attempted to talk to him, Talo sped away, the charges state.
As more officers arrived in the area, police say they found the truck Talo was driving abandoned and located him hiding in a nearby yard.
Talo is charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and attempted child kidnapping, all first-degree felonies. He was also charged with theft, a second-degree felony; aggravated assault and failing to stop for an officer, third-degree felonies; two counts of drug possession, a class A misdemeanor; and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a class B misdemeanor.
Talo's lengthy criminal history includes convictions and arrests for theft, burglary and robbery, among other charges over the past decade. Prosecutors noted in the charges that Talo is a documented gang member and "has an extensive and violent criminal history."
