A Sitka man has been arrested in connection with the recent string of home burglaries, but police caution that the investigation isn’t over yet, and say they’re still pursuing other people they believe have been involved.
Twenty-seven-year old Kelly Ray Crowder, Jr. was arrested on Wednesday evening (11-26-14). Police say they found jewelry and coins from three burglarized homes in his house.
According to the police, a neighbor called on Wednesday afternoon to report that he was in the process of buying jewelry from Crowder and suspected that it was stolen. Police say they showed the jewelry to three recent burglary victims, who identified the pieces. Several officers then executed a search warrant at Crowder’s home, where they say they found more jewelry and coins, as well as three small baggies that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Crowder has been charged with theft and with misconduct involving a controlled substance. He is currently being held on $5,000 bond.
But Sgt. Daniel Dozois said that’s not the end of the investigation.
“I would hate to just stop at three of our thirteen and just call it a night,” he said. “There’s clearly more to all of this than what we have.”
Police received reports of at least thirteen home burglaries between Monday, Nov. 17 and Saturday, Nov. 22.
Dozois said he suspects the different burglaries were committed by at least a few different people, and for different reasons.
Police are offering a $1,000 reward for information related to the burglaries. Dozois said it hasn’t yet been determined whether the reward applies in Crowder’s arrest.
Meanwhile, Dozois said that his advice to the public remains the same: lock your doors.
“It’s something that’s simple and quick and easy, and I know we don’t like to come to terms that we should have to do that,” he said. “But we do need to do it.”
Dozois said that in all of the burglaries reported so far, the homes were unlocked.
