Arrested Milwaukee man linked to nearly 20 burglaries in Riverwest

CREATED Jul. 24, 2012

  • Print
  • Jermont Terry reports Video by 620wtmj.com

    video

MILWAUKEE- He's accused of burglarizing homes while residents in Riverwest were away.

Police say the suspect is responsible for 18 burglaries in just 21 days all in the Riverwest neighborhood.

Milwaukee police say they have the man responsible for the break-ins behind bars and he could be connected to even more crimes.

Ben Honeck and his roommate Joe Sopa can't forget the day someone broke into their Riverwest apartment.

"The whole place was ransacked," said Honeck.  "I think he took a crowbar and pried the window open."

"It's horrible because how I felt for the next two days thinking who's going to bust through the window," said Sopa.

Milwaukee police say the roommates can feel safer because Darrius Jones confessed to break-into their place and close to 20 others.

Around a week ago, a neighbor spotted the 18-year-old breaking into another house on Bremen St.

"When all said in done we're looking at 25-26 cases," said Milwaukee police officer Kevin Matte.

Edwin Vazquez keeps a sign posted on his window, which reads: "Next time you try to break in my house I will shoot you in the face through the window."

If the message seems harsh, he believes there's a good reasons.  A few weeks ago a noise woke him.

So he went to check out the noise and he quickly realized it was not from his dog.  By the time he got the hallway he realized it was coming from this window.  He opened the blinds to find himself staring face-to-face with a man trying to break inside.

As for Jones, police say he was on probation for other burglaries when he hit up homes in Riverwest.  They're hoping this will be his last arrest.

He is currently charged with three burglary counts and bail jumping -- all are considered felonies.

It's believed Jones got into homes through open windows.