Downtown Nashville police say a man they picked up inside the Wild Beaver Saloon is the same burglar who has been hitting popular spots around the tourist core in recent weeks. Officers arrested 34-year-old Cody Campbell at the bar on Commerce Street after reportedly matching him to surveillance video from a string of break-ins. They say he had rolled coins and burglary tools on him that tie back to the thefts. Campbell now faces a long list of burglary, vandalism, and theft charges and is being held on a $71,000 bond, a case that has downtown business owners once again looking over their shoulders.
Video Links Suspect To Four Burglaries
According to NewsChannel 5 Nashville, investigators say surveillance footage connects Campbell to at least four recent break-ins. Police report that the video allegedly shows him at Mike's Ice Cream on 2nd Avenue North, Crema on Hermitage Avenue, Bourbon Street Blues in Printers Alley and The Lounge on 2nd Avenue North earlier this month. The businesses were left with damaged doors, missing cash and other losses, according to the police account.
Metro police outlined the case in a media release and keep booking information and press materials available through the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Newsroom. That is also where they post victim resources and updates when a cluster of downtown businesses is hit at once. Detectives say they are still reviewing security footage and interviewing witnesses, hinting that more incidents could potentially be tied to the same suspect as the investigation moves forward.
Arrest At Wild Beaver Saloon
The Wild Beaver Saloon has not been quiet lately. Earlier this month, a separate disturbance outside the bar drew officers to the corner of Commerce Street and 3rd Avenue North, as reported by WSMV. That same stretch of downtown, which includes Printers Alley and Second Avenue, packs in late-night crowds and heavy foot traffic, a combination business owners say can create easy targets for quick smash-and-grab crimes. They also point out that cameras above the sidewalks and fast reporting to police are often what give detectives the break they need in cases like this one.
Charges And Next Steps
Campbell is charged with five counts of burglary, five counts of vandalism, four counts of theft of property and possession of burglary tools, and is being held on a $71,000 bond, according to NewsChannel 5 Nashville. Officers say they seized $310 in rolled coins along with items described as burglary tools at the time of his arrest inside the Wild Beaver Saloon. Court records will show whether prosecutors decide to tack on more counts as detectives work through additional tips, and police are asking anyone with video or information to contact the Metro Nashville Police Department.
