Lebanon
Police say William Burr forced his way into TBW Automotive, Country Woolens and Dairy Twirl between about 10:30 p.m. and midnight and rummaged through the businesses, ultimately finding $250 in a desk drawer at the yarn shop.
Surveillance footage from the ice cream shop led police to Burr, according to a police affidavit filed in the case.
Burr appeared before a Lebanon District Court judge on Friday.
He faces three felony-level burglary offenses, as well as one felony-level drug possession charge.
Judge Henrietta Luneau ordered Burr held on $10,000 cash; he hadn’t posted bail as of Friday night.
According to the affidavit, police received a call around 4:30 a.m. on Thursday from a passer-by who reported the door to TBW Automotive had been smashed. Burr allegedly threw a patio block through the door, entered the business and began “rummaging around,” according to the affidavit.
Around 9 a.m. Thursday, the owners of Country Woolens and Dairy Twirl called police to report that their businesses also had been burglarized.
Country Woolens owner Deborah Hodges told police the glass on the front door of her shop had been broken and about $250 cash had been taken.
Dairy Twirl owner Brent Murray said the rear doors to his business also had been pushed in and that someone had tried to gain access to the cash registers.
Police pulled the surveillance camera footage from the ice cream shop and an officer “immediately” identified the alleged burglar as Burr, the affidavit says.
Police went to Burr’s residence on Thursday and questioned him about the break-ins. Burr allegedly admitted to breaking into all three businesses, according to the affidavit.
He told police he used the money he took from Country Woolens to buy drugs. He said he tried to find money at the other two businesses but was unsuccessful, according to the affidavit.
Burr gave police permission to search his apartment, where they found “a quantity” of heroin in a bedside table, the affidavit says.
Lebanon Police Chief Richard Mello on Friday said damage estimates weren’t yet available.
Burr has a probable cause hearing scheduled for Oct. 24 in Lebanon District Court.
Jordan Cuddemi can be reached at jcuddemi@vnews.com.