A 28-year-old local man has been charged with numerous counts of burglary, vandalism, and theft after he allegedly broke into multiple homes.
Cory Alan Bradford was arrested by the sheriff’s department, and faces nine counts of aggravated burglary, eight counts of theft, six counts of vandalism, and possession of burglary tools. The Smithville Police Department has charged Bradford with aggravated burglary as well.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Bradford burglarized homes on Lakeside Drive, Oak Drive, Lakeview Drive, Lakeside Place, Puckett’s Point, Blackberry Hill, and Riley Avenue between June 2 and July 20, taking several television sets, tools and other items.
Ray said that detectives from his department had pegged Bradford as a suspect in the break-ins, and were looking to question him when he was spotted in Smithville.
“Two of the detectives were off duty at a business in town early in the morning on July 20 when they saw Bradford pass by,” the sheriff said. “They had been looking for Bradford to trail him to see if they could find him with any of these TVS. When they saw Bradford pass by they got in their own cars and followed him to Highway 56 south to a business where he got out to meet someone. Bradford then pulled a TV out of the back of his vehicle. The detectives jumped out of their cars and took Bradford in for questioning. Bradford admitted to breaking into these places.”
Bradford is accused of burglarizing nine homes in a little over a month and a half beginning on June 2, when he allegedly entered a home on Lakeside Drive and took a 60-inch Vizio TV, a Roku box, and a Dewalt Angle Grinder valued at $820. He also allegedly vandalized a door and window, causing $2,000 in damage.
Then, on June 10, Bradford allegedly entered an Oak Drive home and took a 50-inch Emerson TV, a 60-inch TV, a 43-inch Vizio sound bar, and a Ryobi Miter Saw valued at $4,300. He also allegedly vandalized a door and window, causing $4,500 in damage.
On June 11, Bradford allegedly entered a residence on Lakeview Drive and took a 42-inch Vizio TV valued at $700 and vandalized a wall, causing $700 in damage.
Bradford allegedly entered a Lakeview Drive home on June 11, taking a 50-inch Samsung TV, wall mount and assorted tools valued at $760. He was also charged with possession of burglary tools after admitting to using a pry bar to gain entry to this and other homes.
On June 14, Bradford allegedly entered a home on Lakeview Drive and took a 24-inch HD flat screen, a TV with a DVR player, several CDs, and an air compressor valued at $500. He also allegedly vandalized a window, causing $200 in damage.
Bradford allegedly entered a residence on Lakeside Place on June 24, taking a Sears Miter Saw, an RCA DVD player, a Polaroid DVD player, a Play Station and a socket set valued at $440, as well as vandalizing a door and frame, causing $800 in damage.
On July 1, Bradford allegedly entered a Puckett’s Point Road home and took a 30-inch Phillips TV and a piggy bank valued at $305.
He allegedly entered a residence on Puckett’s Point Road and caused $200 damage on July 16.
Bradford allegedly entered a residence on Blackberry Hill Road on July 19, taking a 50-inch Samsung TV.
He is charged with aggravated burglary for making forced entry into a Riley Avenue home on July 20. Bradford allegedly entered the residence with the intent to commit a felony theft, but the victim was at home, heard the alarm going off, and called 911. Bradford left the scene without taking anything before police arrived, but was arrested on July 21.
The sheriff said the matter is still under investigation, and more charges are pending.
Bradford’s bonds on the sheriff’s department charges total $137,500, and he is under a $10,000 bond on the charge from the Smithville Police Department. He will appear in court on Aug. 3.
