A masked, gloved man has broken into garages and sheds across two South St. Louis neighborhoods at least five times since spring, and police still don't know who he is. St. Louis Metropolitan Police District 1 detectives say the burglaries struck Boulevard Heights and Holly Hills on May 5, June 3, Aug. 2, Sept. 3 and Sept. 9, with investigators believing the same person may be responsible for all of them.
According to St. Louis Metropolitan Police District 1, detectives are asking the public for help identifying and locating the suspect, describing him only as an unknown male. Police say he typically wears a face covering and gloves during the break-ins, leaving little for witnesses or cameras to go on. As KMOV reports, the department released images of the suspect credited to St. Louis City Police in hopes someone recognizes him.
What's Being Stolen
Investigators say the suspect has made off with a range of items, including lawn equipment, a generator, and other unspecified belongings from the targeted properties. The department has not detailed the full extent of what's missing or its value, but the pattern of hits across five separate dates has detectives treating the string of break-ins as connected.
Police noted that many of the incidents involved garages and sheds that were left unsecured, a detail that's shaping their advice to homeowners in the area. Boulevard Heights and Holly Hills, the two South Side neighborhoods where the burglaries occurred, sit next to each other, and detectives haven't said whether the suspect is believed to live nearby or simply be working the area on foot or by vehicle.
Police Urge Residents to Lock Up and Light Up
With the case still open months after it began, police are urging residents to take basic precautions rather than wait for an arrest. Officers are asking homeowners to lock garage and shed doors and secure windows and other points of entry, according to the same police account. Detectives also suggested installing outdoor lighting and security cameras as proactive measures that could either deter a repeat visit or help identify the person responsible.
Anyone with information on the suspect's identity or whereabouts is asked to contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477). Police noted that only tips submitted through CrimeStoppers that lead to a felony arrest are eligible for the organization's rewards, giving residents with a lead a financial incentive to come forward as the search for the suspect continues.
