Altamont Man Arrested on Burglaries from Vehicles

An Altamont man was arrested Tuesday after a series of events that led to Effingham City Police uncovering burglaries from motor vehicles.

In custody is 32-year-old Javier Rodriguez Rich of Altamont.

(JAVIER RICH)

City Police Bureau of Patrol Officers responded to the 200 block of North 1st Street shortly before 8am Tuesday to recover a wallet and other miscellaneous items that had been found in the area. Officers canvassed the area, and reviewed video surveillance footage that revealed a male subject entering the area with the items, and then leaving without the items. Rich was identified in the video by officers who had contact with him at the police station the day before, when Rich sought police assistance.

Police observed Rich Walking at 11:13am Tuesday and detained him to further the investigation. Rich admitted to entering two unlocked vehicles in the 600 block of Market Avenue and the 600 block of East Washington Avenue around 3am, and stealing items from each. In addition to the recovered items located earlier, officers also recovered some of the stolen property on Rich's person.

Rich was taken into custody and booked on two counts of burglary from a motor vehicle and five counts of unlawful possession of another's credit card, all felony charges. He will make his initial court appearance in the case Thursday where he will be formally charged and bond will be set.

Although burglaries from motor vehicles have seen a sharp decrease since the reorganization of patrol tactics and scheduling (95 reports in 2016, 54 reports in 2017, and 20 reports in 2018 through Tuesday), Effingham Police Chief Jeff Fuesting reminds citizens that it's important to use common sense and be vigilant. Fuesting said, "Even though our patrol units have substantially increased their presence through dedicated patrolling in the past 21 months, residents still need to be aware of their surroundings, lock their vehicles and remove all valuables from sight when left unoccupied. Increased patrol units are a big part of the reason our statistics are lower for certain crimes; as we continue to partner together with the community, we hope to see these numbers continue to fall."

The Police Department encourages you to phone the police station at 347-0774 to report suspicious activity in your neighborhood or business district. Information can be given anonymously by phoning the CRIMESTOPPERS Tip Line at 347-6583. Anonymous callers can receive up to $1,000 cash rewards.