A homeless man was arrested after a deputy allegedly caught him breaking into a vehicle at University Motors and admitted he’s been doing so for several weeks in an interview.
Jereme D. Shrewsbury, 36, is charged with auto tampering and petit larceny by the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department.
Just before 2 a.m. Thursday, Deputy J. Alexander was called to University Motors on Don Knotts Boulevard, according to Sheriff Perry Palmer.
An employee on scene was monitoring cameras and had a visual on the suspect, according to a criminal complaint.
As he was coming over the hill, Alexander saw a man between some vehicles, who appeared to be tampering with a car, the complaint said. As the deputy pulled into the lot, the man walked away from the cars, crossing the parking lot while pushing his bike.
Alexander detained him and identified him as Shrewsbury, who said he was just passing through, the complaint said. Shrewsbury was told an employee saw him on camera, and they knew he was breaking into cars.
Shrewsbury admitted to stealing change from cars and pointed to a Toyta Tacoma that he said was unlocked and that he stole change out of because he’s homeless and needed to eat, the complaint said.
A search of Shrewsbury found a CD case, also stolen from the Tacoma, and about $3.65 in change, the complaint said.
In an interview at the sheriff’s department Shrewsbury was asked about several other vehicle larceny reports over the past several weeks and said he has been the one breaking into cars at University Motors during that timeframe, according to the complaint.
Shrewsbury was arraigned by Magistrate Tim Pocius and is being held in North Central Regional Jail in lieu of $2,500 bond.
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Morgantown Area News
'Thursday, May 2, 2024'
