Cape police charge man with three burglaries
The Cape Coral Police Department linked a man to at least three burglaries using computer software that the agency recently began using.
Scott Joseph Krupp, 30, of 1316 Miramar St., Apt. 2, was charged Monday with two counts of burglary and two counts of theft after Cape detectives tied him to crime scene evidence using the agency’s shoe print ID computer software, officials reported. The software has been in use for one week.
On Wednesday, Krupp remained at the Lee County Jail on no bond.
According to jail booking records, he is charged with two counts each of burglary of an occupied dwelling unarmed, larceny theft $300 or more but less than $5,000 and damage property criminal mischief over $200 but under $1,000.
Krupp also faces one count each of narcotic equipment possess drug paraphernalia advertise, drive while license suspended and resist officer without violence. He was denied bond on two prior charges from 2010.
On Thursday, Cape police responded to a report of a commercial burglary at 1319 Miramar St. The burglar smashed out a window at the back of a building to gain entry. Computers and other electronics were stolen from inside.
The burglar left behind shoe prints, officials reported. Cape forensic technicians took photos of the prints and entered them into a database that the department had recently purchased using grant money.
On Sunday, Cape police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Krupp and discovered that his driver’s license was suspended. As officers attempted to arrest Krupp for the traffic charges, he ran and jumped into a canal. Krupp was arrested, however, his shoes were lost in the canal.
Detectives later developed Krupp as a suspect in the burglary on Miramar Street and two separate home burglaries. They employed the department’s dive team to retrieve Krupp’s shoes from the canal and compared the tread on the shoes to the prints collected at the Miramar Street burglary.
The two matched, officials reported. A search of Krupp’s home revealed tools alleged to have been used to commit other home burglaries and property taken during the crimes. In jail on Sunday’s traffic charges, Krupp was additionally charged.
Additional burglary charges are pending other laboratory testing.
Krupp has court dates set for Feb. 8, 14 and 22 and March 7.