Two men have been charged with a string of unrelated burglaries in North Greenwood.
J.C. Stewart, 35, 300 Sunflower Rd., Itta Bena, has been charged with residential burglary.
Frank Lundy, 26, 421 W. Percy St., has been charged with two counts of attempted auto burglary.
Both men were charged Friday, according to Greenwood Acting Police Chief Ray Moore.
Stewart’s bond was set at $30,000 while Lundy’s was set at $40,000.
Both men remained in the Leflore County Jail Saturday.
Moore said that following a string of residential burglaries, a special detail was set up to patrol North Greenwood neighborhoods.
Jim Campbell, a Leflore County Justice Court Judge and North Greenwood resident, said Stewart apparently backed his car down Campbell’s driveway at around 10 a.m. Thursday morning, went into an unlocked storage shed and made off with a weed-eater, blower and hedge clippers as well as a jar of loose change.
Campbell wasn’t at home at the time, but he said a woman in the neighborhood saw Stewart and recognized him.
Police responded quickly to the tip. Although Stewart had already fled the scene, police were able to apprehend him a short time later. Stewart was positively identified by witnesses, Moore said.
He said officers have recovered some of the stolen items in the case.
Campbell said all of his stolen items were returned to him. Several friends, the judge said, also had lawn equipment returned to them following Stewart’s arrest.
Although Stewart has so far been charged with just one count of residential burglary, Moore was confident that Stewart will face additional charges as the investigation into other North Greenwood burglaries continues.
In an unrelated case, Lundy was apprehended following a tip left with the Greenwood-Leflore-Carroll Crime Stoppers Inc.
The department had requested help in identifying a “person of interest” in auto burglaries on TV newscasts and in Wednesday’s Commonwealth.
That information led directly to Lundy’s arrest.
Moore said additional suspects — in these cases and unrelated ones — might still be at large.
He said the quick response from the public helped.
“It makes it a lot easier. When the community gets involved, it makes our job a lot easier,” Moore said.
Campbell said he hoped the arrests might also bring an end to the break-ins and thefts.
Staff Writer Bryn Stole contributed to this report.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
