Alert Wichitan’s report leads to arrest of burglary suspect

A Wichita man suspected in a string of home burglaries was keeping stolen property in his South Broadway hotel room, police say.

Thursday morning a Wichita man called police to report a suspicious person driving through his neighborhood — the 6400 block of South Madison — in a dark-colored Jeep. Two people in that Jeep had broken into his garage and stolen a power tool the day before, the man told police.

A Jeep matching that description was reportedly involved in another robbery, in the 5500 block of South Mosley, on Wednesday evening. People from that Jeep entered the home and stole electronics, Wichita police Officer Charley Davidson said.

Officers on “proactive patrol” spotted a dark-colored Jeep leaving the Heritage Inn, 4539 S. Broadway, and stopped it, Davidson said. Driving the Jeep was 53-year-old Willie White, who was arrested and booked into Sedgwick County Jail on suspicion of both burglaries.

Police later found stolen property from both burglaries and other potentially stolen goods in a room at the Heritage Inn, Davidson said.

It is unknown to police at this time if there was a second suspect involved. No others have been arrested and the investigation is still active, Davidson said.

Davidson credited the man who reported the Jeep as the key to White’s arrest.

“This is a testament to if you see something, say something. If you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood, please call 911,” Davidson said.

This story was originally published December 21, 2018 at 10:53 AM.