Four connected to 20 burglaries

By ED BALDRIDGE

ed.baldridge@newssun.com

SEBRING -- Four Sebring men were arrested in connection to more than 20 burglaries that occurred over the past several months, according to Nell Hays, Highlands County Sheriff's Office public information officer on Friday.

Rolando Josue Lopez, 18, Jonathon Alan Miller, 52, and Britten Lane Miller, 18, all of 1426 Nancessowee Ave., and James Levi Meredith, 17, of 1330 Fernvale Ave., are facing multiple counts of burglary, according to Hays.

"These suspects are currently being held in the Highlands County Jail with the exception of Britten Lane Miller who was released after posting $17,000 bond on Jan. 7. All are or will be facing numerous counts of burglary and theft," Hays said.

Britten Lane Miller and Meredith each have felony juvenile charges against them, which makes their names and pictures public record, Hays said on Friday.

"Over a period of several months Highlands County was hit with a series of random burglaries from one end of the county to the other. As crime analysts worked to find links and extra patrol was conducted, sheriff's deputies were able to connect the dots," Hays wrote in a press release on Friday.

"This was a real team effort between patrol, the safe neighborhood team and detectives," Sheriff Susan Benton said.

Hays also stated, "The city of Sebring Police Department caught some of these same suspects in the act of committing car burglaries in the city. Between the information gathered with the city police, the crime analysis and numerous interviews, sheriff's office detectives have now cleared as many as 20 burglary cases throughout the county."

Five firearms, a riding lawn mower, car titles, a flat screen television and two golf carts have been recovered and returned to the victims, Hays said.

"Detectives are still working to locate additional stolen property from these burglaries. Further, evidence from other unsolved burglaries during the same time frame continues to be evaluated and processed in attempts to solve more cases," Hays said.

The investigation is ongoing and Hays requested that anyone with information on these or any other residential burglaries to contact the sheriff's office at 402-7250.

Anyone with information who wants to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward is asked to call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS(8477), or contact Heartland Crime Stoppers at www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com/.

Anonymity is guaranteed.