Dayton Burglar Still At Large

DAYTON - On the eve of the year-end holiday season, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office is warning homeowners that an elusive burglar is still at large in the Dayton area.

The sheriff has also released a general description of the man, who has been sighted by several witnesses, but not close enough for a police sketch. Authorities describe him as a "tall, white male, between the ages of 25-50."

The suspect has been targeting vacant homes inside the city limits for the past several months, forcibly entering them, stealing personal property and even squatting in them for periods of time. The burglar/ squatter strikes unfurnished, furnished and intermittently occupied homes alike, so residents leaving on vacation even for a few days should take precautionary measures to avoid getting hit, the sheriff's office recommends.

"If you have a vacant house in the Dayton area, or if you know some who does, we encourage you to check the property frequently," Sheriff Walt Hessler said. "Please consider security systems and aggressive means to lock or secure the premises."

If you live next door to an empty home, keep an eye on the comings and goings of anyone you don't know or recognize and report it to the sheriff's office, he said.

Residents leaving on vacation can come into the sheriff's office and fill out a security check form, which will prompt deputies to check on the residence at least once a day, up to twice a day (day and night) if shifts allow, a spokeswoman for the office said.

The burglar has broken into several homes in different neighborhoods, so no residences are immune. "He moves around."

The suspect has been known to barricade himself inside the home or set up elaborate warning systems to alert him of the presence of other people in the where he has set up residence, authorities said.

At times, he has also covered the windows with drapes to prevent observation of his activities or light he may have been using.

Concerns about burglaries go back to October, when Dayton was hit by spate of them. At the time, the sheriff said the incidents may have been related to transients getting into vacant homes realtors were showing.

Typically, there is a lock box on the front door with a key, but the suspects were getting in through the basement windows or windows that were simply left unlocked.

By October, there had been no reports of missing personal property, but that has changed.

Now, the sheriff reports the suspect in question damages and steals items inside the homes.

Hessler has the following advice for residents:

* Fill out a security check form at the sheriff's office even if you're going to be gone for a few days.

*Stop delivery of your mail and newspaper or have someone pick it up.

*Have a friend and/or neighbor check your residence in addition to the police security check.

*Do not touch anything if you see signs of forced entry as you approach the home. Leave immediately and call the sheriff's office at 509- 382-2518.

*If you sense it's difficult to get in through the door, the burglar may have barricaded it. Don't try to force your way in. Call the sheriff's office instead.

*If anything is out of place inside your home or it shows signs of squatting, do not touch anything and contact the sheriff immediately.

*Do not attempt to contact or confront the suspect. Leave that to the authorities.

Anyone with information regarding the burglaries or related suspicious activity is encouraged to contact the sheriff at the number above.