CPD arrests suspected serial burglar
Published Feb. 19, 2010
Columbia Police officers arrested a suspected serial burglar after a brief chase, a CPD news release stated.
According to the news release, officers responded to an alarm at around 1 a.m. Feb. 12 at the Tiger Pawn store and located the suspect, 30-year-old David L. Wright.
The siding on the store building had been ripped in an attempt to gain entry, the news release stated.
When he was arrested, Wright had a bag containing various items commonly used by burglars including, a saw, a saw blade, a mask, a flashlight, sockets and a carpenter style knife.
Wright was later arrested in connection with two similar burglaries. According to the news release, the first occurred at the Casey's General Store. During this burglary, sheet metal had been pulled away from the building in order for the suspect to get inside, the news release stated.
Police identified Wright as a suspect by viewing surveillance footage of the incident, the news release stated.
Police also arrested Wright for a burglary at the Break Time store. The roof had been pried away and the suspect lowered a ladder into the store but did not enter the store because an employee arrived at the location, the news release stated. This incident was also captured on surveillance.
CPD spokeswoman Jessie Haden said officers had been monitoring Wright for less than a week at the time of his arrest.
"We just picked key times to watch him," Haden said in an e-mail.
Over the past several months, detectives noticed similarities between several commercial burglaries. Upon further investigation detectives identified Wright as a suspect and teamed up with Street Crimes and Patrol officers to catch Wright in the act, the news release stated.
Because Wright was under police surveillance at the time of the break in, police officers were nearby when the alarm was reported, the news release stated.
"Diligent investigative work, detailed planning and a cooperative effort among Patrol officers, Street Crimes Officers and detectives allowed us to arrest Wright with a minimum of surveillance time and put an end to his burglaries," Haden said in the news release.
Haden also said Wright had been arrested before and his possible jail time depends on whether charges are added or amended and the possibility of a plea agreement.
Wright is being held in the Boone County Jail with a $75,000 bond, the news release stated.