Columbia man caught burglarizing Weil Tires and Automotive
The man had previously pleaded guilty for stealing a firearm in 2007.
Published March 16, 2009
Police interrupted a burglary in progress late Saturday night at a local tire business.
Weil Tires and Automotive, located at 1501 Old 63 S., was burglarized late Saturday night around 10 p.m., police said. Columbia Police Department officers were dispatched to the scene after an alarm sounded in the building, a CPD news release stated.
Police said the saw the suspect, 20-year-old Justin R. Holley of Columbia, when they were checking exterior doors around the business.
Police said Holley ran through the garage when he saw police searching the building. Officers caught him as he was leaving the garage through a broken rear garage door, the release stated.
Holley was taken into custody after a short chase on foot outside the building.
Holley had stolen property from the business when he was arrested, CPD Capt. Stephen Monticelli said. He declined to say what items Holley had with him when he was arrested.
"We're still doing an investigation and mentioning the items would harm the investigation," Monticelli said.
Holley was arrested on suspicion of second-degree burglary. This is not the first time Holley has had run-ins with the law.
Monticelli said Holley pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary charge for stealing a firearm in August 2007. He was sentenced to four years in prison for that offense.
"This kid had had previous trouble and seems to keep making questionable decisions," Monticelli said.
During an interview with police, Holley admitted to being on a work release from the Reality House, the release stated.
The Reality House is a non-profit agency that has a variety of programs offered to provide a continuum of counseling, substance abuse treatment and correctional services in a community setting, according to its Web site.
Monticelli said the Reality House is a good program and usually does not have residents who cause problems.
"They usually have trusted inmates wanting to get jobs, so they are pretty safe when it comes to them committing crimes," Monticelli said.
Montecelli said he did not know Holley's status at the Reality House.
The Reality House representatives were not available to comment.
Monticelli said there has been a rise in burglaries in Columbia in the past year, but it is not cause for concern.
"Most of the time it doesn't take a lot to increase or decrease the number of burglaries or thefts to raise statistics," Monticelli said.
