Published: November 17, 2008 04:26 pm      

Two arrested for car burglaries

Suspected 'cereal' bandits caught with stolen goods

Ada — Two East Central University students were arrested Thursday in connection with a slew of auto burglaries in Ada in recent weeks.

Andrew Jacob Layman, 19, Ada, and a 17-year-old minor were arrested after police discovered dozens of stolen items, including two boxes of breakfast cereal, in Layman’s vehicle.

ECU Police Officer Whitney Wright said after several vehicles were burglarized on campus, a debit card taken from a vehicle was used at a local convenience store.

“We had some video of a car that matched a particular car that was in the (ECU) parking lot,” Wright said. “I got out and was looking (around the car) and noticed a camera was laying in the back seat that matched the description of one that had been stolen."

Wright said ECU Officer Wesley McElhannon located Layman and asked for consent to search the vehicle.

“He gave consent to search it so we started pulling it apart,” Wright said.

ECU police were assisted by Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Deputy Heath Miller and Ada Police Officer Joshua Oakley during the search and subsequent arrests.

“A victim of one of the burglaries was contacted and came to our location,” Oakley said. “Upon arrival, (the victim) was able to identify numerous items taken from his vehicle.”

Miller said while they were interviewing Layman, the minor suspect walked up to them. Oakley said all items were logged at the scene and Layman and the minor were transported to the police department. Layman was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana. Police would not release what charges the minor is facing.

“While checking the vehicle I found numerous partially burnt marijuana cigarettes in the ash tray along with three packages of (rolling papers),” Oakley said. “All items were entered in as evidence.”

Oakley said some of the items stolen from one of the victims was not found in the car, so he got a search warrant for Layman’s dorm room. Police found a stolen XBox 360 and several other items in the room.

Wright said it took more than three hours to inventory the car and the dorm room. The items will be sorted out and returned to the rightful owners.

Stolen items recovered from the vehicle included global positioning systems, car stereo faceplates, a necklace, a gas can, A DeWalt chop saw, a notebook, laundry detergent, shaving cream, a pillow, an umbrella, a handicap tag, fishing pole and reel, boxing gloves, an air pump, football cards, CD case and CDs, first-aid kit, a make up bag, cologne, a bag with tools, clothes, sunglasses, a baseball bag, flashlights, a catcher’s mitt, baseball cleats, a calculator, a radar detector, cameras, cell phones, and two boxes of cereal.

“They had eaten one box and the other box hadn’t been opened just yet,” Wright said.