Three suspects arrested in connection with burglary ring responsible for $209,000 worth of stolen items
Three Mid Michigan men have been charged in a burglary ring where $209,000 worth of items were stolen from 104 properties.
Lucas Alexander Williams, 31 of Remus, Michael Louis Dunklee, 31 of Mount Pleasant and Robert Frank Guynn Jr., 32 of Weidman, have all been arraigned on breaking and entering charges.
In a news conference Tuesday, Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski said the burglaries began in November 2009 and spanned across Isabella, Clare, Osceola, Mecosta, Gladwin and Roscommon counties. The three suspects could face additional charges as the investigation has not yet been completed.
The $209,000 worth of items have been recovered by police and include two Kubota tractors, a six-wheel drive Ranger, 10 all-terrain vehicles, firearms and televisions. Most of the items were taken from seasonal homes in Mid Michigan and some were recovered in areas as far away as Ohio.
The arrests were the result of several investigative leads developed over several months, Mioduszewski said.
"With the seasonal homes, it was very difficult from a law enforcement perspective to get any leads," he said. "I'm quite confident that there's going to be more arrests and more charges."
The investigation is a joint operation between multiple county sheriff's departments and the Michigan State Police.
Burglaries in Isabella County were reported in the northwest portion of the county in rural areas. The multi-county task force was formed in July 2010 in response to seasonal home burglary reports elsewhere in Mid Michigan.
Clare County reported the most with 45 breaking and enterings.
"I've never seen this type of recovery for as many (breaking and enterings) as we've had," said Clare County Sheriff John Wilson.
Mecosta County Sheriff Todd Purcell credited the efforts of each individual agency for successfully carrying out the investigation.
"Collaboration, in today's day and age in Michigan law enforcement ... is the No. 1 hurdle and thing we have to keep focused on," Purcell said.
Mioduszewski said the suspects stole most of the equipment with the intention of selling it. Other individuals appear to be involved with burglary ring and have yet to be arrested, he said.
The sheriff said drug-related activity does not appear to be a motive for the thefts..
"I think it was just basically crimes of of opportunity," Mioduszewski said. "They went into an area where there is very little traffic."
Williams faced a preliminary examination in Isabella County Trial Court on Jan. 20, while Dunklee will appear on Jan. 27. Guynn Jr. has been charged in Mecosta but not Isabella County.
