A Cape Coral man has been charged in connection to a series of vehicle burglaries, residential thefts, and grand thefts over the past month.
Steven Chinn, 47, has been charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling, burglary on an unoccupied conveyance, grand theft, and petit theft connected to crimes law enforcement officials state date back to early November.
CCPD officials said on Nov. 7, officers responded to a reported car burglary at a home on Southwest 26th Avenue, where the victim reported that overnight, someone had broken into their vehicle and stolen several items including a camouflage jacket, softball bag, and cash. Police state that surveillance footage from a neighbor’s security camera captured a male suspect carrying “bulky items,” including a jacket, away from the car.
“Over the following weeks, Property Crimes Detectives continued to connect Chinn to a growing number of crimes,” the CCPD release states.
On Nov. 20 at roughly 2:40 p.m., a new burglary was reported at a residence on Southwest 38th Street, police officials stated.
“Upon reviewing the victim’s security footage, investigators observed a male on a pink bicycle approaching the house,” CCPD’s release continued to state. “The victim reported that a male had entered their garage and stole a scooter valued at $1,000. The scooter had been modified with a trailer-style bike attachment featuring a red helmet and an American flag.”
Then on Nov. 22 at approximately 11:20 p.m., officers responded to Southwest 26th Place in Cape Coral regarding an unknown male seen walking around a new construction property, police officials state. The male, later identified as Chinn, repeatedly avoided contact, fled from officers, and was ultimately located hiding behind trash cans in an area with recent burglaries, CCPD officials said.
“Officers discovered that Chinn had been seen wearing the Mossy Oak camouflage jacket believed to have been stolen during the November 7 burglary,” CCPD’s release states. “Chinn was arrested and transported to the Lee County Jail for loitering and prowling and resisting an officer without violence.”
Police officials add that further investigation linked Chinn to another stolen item-the softball bag taken in the earlier vehicle burglary, as officers discovered that the stolen bag had been discarded in the garbage at a friend’s residence Chinn was known to frequent.
On Dec. 2, detectives arrested Chinn at his residence after developing probable cause for his arrest, according to CCPD officials, and that a search warrant executed at the location led to the discovery of stolen property within the home.
Police state the investigation remains ongoing.
“The Cape Coral Police Department urges residents to remain vigilant, report any suspicious activity, and continue providing helpful information that can prevent crime in the community,” CCPD officials stated.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Chinn was still is custody at Lee County Jail being held on a $35,000 bond.