News Summary
Troy Speaks, a 36-year-old man, was arrested for burglarizing San Diego State University, stealing laptops from classrooms. A faculty member witnessed one incident, prompting police action. Speaks, who is not affiliated with the university and is a repeat offender, was apprehended attempting to access a secured building. The SDSU Police seek additional information from the public. In related incidents, police also investigate burglaries at local restaurants, and a twelve-person residential burglary ring has recently been charged with crimes across San Diego County.
San Diego – A 36-year-old man, Troy Speaks, was arrested on Friday for suspected burglaries at San Diego State University (SDSU) just two days after his release from custody. Speaks is not a student at the university, nor is he affiliated with it, and he is known to the San Diego State University Police Department (UPD) as a repeat offender.
The reported burglaries occurred on Thursday around 1 p.m., where Speaks allegedly stole laptop computers from two classrooms located in the Professional Studies and Fine Arts building and the Storm Hall building. In one of the incidents, a faculty member witnessed Speaks leaving the area with two laptop computers before alerting authorities.
Following the thefts, a UPD officer located Speaks on campus around 2 a.m. as he attempted to access a secured building while the university was closed. He was taken into custody and subsequently booked into the San Diego County Jail.
The SDSU Police Department is urging anyone with additional information regarding these incidents to come forward by contacting them at 619-594-1991 and referencing case numbers 25-775 and 25-776.
Related Crimes in the Region
In a separate set of incidents, San Diego police are currently investigating a string of burglaries at restaurants in the Del Sur Town Center. Three restaurants—Board and Brew, Sushi Ren, and a taco shop—were targeted in these crimes, leading to the arrest of 33-year-old Robert Abduljabar Coleman early Thursday morning.
Coleman’s arrest followed a vehicle pursuit that concluded with his car crashing into an ice plant. Upon searching his vehicle, police discovered a sledgehammer along with other evidence linked to the restaurant burglaries. Investigators noted that some recent break-ins had involved a sledgehammer as well, suggesting a possible pattern of operation.
According to San Diego police reports, there have been nearly two dozen burglaries exhibiting similar characteristics that may be connected to Coleman.
Residential Burglary Ring Under Investigation
Adding to the concerns about local crime, nine alleged members of a residential burglary ring have been charged with breaking into 30 homes across San Diego County over a four-month period. This burglary ring is connected to a total of 55 burglaries across California and Nevada, with homes primarily targeted in neighborhoods such as Mira Mesa, Rancho Penasquitos, and Carmel Valley.
The suspects, aged between 18 and 24 years, face serious felony charges for their involvement in the burglaries. Law enforcement agencies have noted that the group typically operated in teams of three or more individuals, often breaking rear sliding glass windows to gain entry and searching for valuables, including cash, jewelry, and firearms.
Authorities successfully identified the suspects through a combination of tracking license plates, social media analysis, and cellphone records. Their coordinated efforts highlight the ongoing challenge law enforcement faces in combating burglary and maintaining community safety in the San Diego area.
As questions linger about the rise in local burglary incidents, citizens are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to authorities to assist in keeping their neighborhoods safe.
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Additional Resources
- Fox 5 San Diego
- Wikipedia: Burglary
- CBS 8
- Google Search: restaurant burglaries San Diego
- NBC San Diego
- Google Scholar: burglary investigations
- Times of San Diego
- Encyclopedia Britannica: burglary
- NBC San Diego
- Google News: San Diego crime news
- Fox 5 San Diego
