Cape Coral Police with the Street Crimes Unit caught a suspect in several smash-n-grab burglaries last night as he committed another burglary.
According to the CCPD, James Phillip Small, 39, of 621 N.E. 15th Court, Cape Coral, was arrested by officers as he broke into a vending machine at 1020 N.E. Pine Island Road.
Small faces 10 felony charges related to several smash-n-grab burglaries he committed in the Pine Island Road area.
On Monday, July 26, Cape Coral Police received four reports of commercial burglaries in the 1400 block of N.E. Pine Island Road. Four businesses had been burglarized by a suspect who used a blunt object to smash the glass and enter the businesses. JJ’s Parkway Subs had about $600 in damage and $100 in cash taken, while Aji Limon had $500 stolen and $350 damage to their door. Two vacant businesses, Miami Meats and Luzzy’s Bakery, received about $400 damage each to the doors.
The Street Crimes Unit set up surveillance in the area, and Small was reportredly seen breaking into the vending machine. Officers arrested Small and found change from the vending machine in his possession as well as gloves, a mask, screwdriver and flashlight.
Small confessed to police that he had committed several of the burglaries that occurred in the area.
Small has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure (four counts), property damage-criminal mischief $1,000 or more (two counts), property damage-criminal mischief over $200 but under $1,000 (two counts), burglary of a dwelling/structure causing damage over $1,000, larceny more than $300 but less than $5,000, property damage-criminal mischief over $200 but under $1,000 (two counts), larceny coin operated machine and petit theft (two counts).
Small was booked and transported to the Lee County Jail.