A collaborative investigation between the Smithville Police and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Departments ended with an arrest of a man wanted for a spree of storage unit burglaries and vandalisms.
According to Smithville Police Chief Mark Collins and Sheriff Patrick Ray, 45-year-old Robert Thomas Bradford, Jr. of Midway Road, Smithville, has been arrested in the cases and is under a $135,000 total bond.
On Monday, June 12, a search warrant was executed at Bradford’s residence on Midway Road, where several of the stolen items were recovered, along with other items authorities could not identify that Bradford allegedly admitted to stealing.
Chief Collins said that Bradford is facing numerous theft of property, burglary, and vandalism charges stemming from three victims in Smithville. The incidents took place at Lockhart Mini-Storage where he allegedly used bolt cutters to destroy the locks of several units and stole items including 65 belt buckles, a wooden chest, personal tax papers, and a crate of miscellaneous large size clothing. The total restitution value is $14,750.
According to Sheriff Ray, Bradford also victimized four other people at Highway 70 Boat and Mini Storage and Snow Hill Mini Storage between May 23 and June 7th.
On May 23, Bradford allegedly vandalized a lock of a unit at the Highway 70 Boat and Mini Storage, where he allegedly stole several firearm accessories, a Toro leaf blower, several computers, and other items with a total value of $1,912.
On June 1, Bradford allegedly struck the business again by cutting a lock off the door of another mini storage unit at Highway 70 Boat and Mini Storage. Authorities say he stole several items including currency, arrowheads, several tools, purses, jewelry, and other items valued at $3,435.
Sheriff Ray said that on June 7, Bradford targeted two more units at the business. At one unit he allegedly stole several items including tools, air compressor, and a pair of Puma golf shoes totaling $948, while at another unit he made away with a band saw, drill press, battery charger, and an 8-foot ladder totaling $950.
Both Chief Collins and Sheriff Ray said that cooperation between the departments led to the arrest.
“It’s good to have the transparency between the Sheriff’s Department and the Smithville Police Department,” Chief Collins said. “We always work well together. In a small community, that’s very important with our limited resources. Having a good working relationship between departments is key to solving a lot of cases. I want to commend the sheriff and his department for always working with the police department.”
“The Smithville Police Department is a great bunch to work with,” Sheriff Ray added. “That’s how we solve a lot of our cases. One of our departments might not be involved in a case, but we pass along information to their detectives and they do the same to ours. We have a good working relationship with one another.”
Bradford is due to appear in court on June 22.
