Police believe they have the man responsible for a local crime spree. It's a crack in a series of cases that investigators say span across the greater Lansing area- dozens of break ins at local businesses. Meridian Township police say they caught the thief in the act early Sunday morning. Robert Allen Miller is charged with two counts of breaking and entering. Police believe, now that he's behind bars, the burglaries will stop. Broken windows, missing cash, it's been an all too familiar sight over the past few weeks from Lansing on eastward into Meridian Township.
Sgt. Lana Howell, Meridian Township Police: "There's a lot of similarities. There are more similarities that are pointing that they are connected."
Video surveillance caught the man Lansing police believe is behind the crime spree. Investigators say he breaks in by throwing a heavy object through the window, then heads straight for the cash register.
Lt. Noel Garcia, Lansing Police Department: "We believe that we have some, pretty good physical evidence that ties him in to a couple of our cases."
Police say they caught the suspect, responding to an alarm at a restaurant on Grand River Avenue.
Sgt. Lana Howell: "The officers parked a distance away and were approaching the business on foot. While they were approaching, they heard the sound of glass breaking across the street from the building where we actually had the alarm."
Evidence of the broken glass remains. It was just yards from there where police say officers finally caught up with their suspect and the stolen property.
Sgt. Lana Howell: "They did a great job catching the guy and we're hoping that our string of breaking and enterings are over with."
Lt. Noel Garcia: "The good news is that he's under arrest now and won't be committing these crimes anymore."
One suspect, dozens of crimes, police now begin the task of putting all the pieces together. Investigators from local police agencies plan to meet on Wednesday. They say they'll compare notes and evidence on the break ins to see which cases can be linked to this suspect. More charges could be issued by the end of the week.
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