Cops say suspect broke into same mini storage facility 5 times

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Photo: James Allen Perry

Marion County authorities have arrested a Springfield, Missouri, man alleging he made repeated illegal trips to a Yellville mini storage facility over a two-month period in late 2019.

According to the probable cause affidavit, 47-year-old James Allen Perry has been charged with 23 violations representing felony charges of breaking or entering and criminal mischief, as well as misdemeanors of theft of property and criminal mischief.

The first break-in was reported on Sept. 23 last year, with four subsequent illegal entries made at the same storage facility.

In each of the five break-ins, it appears from video surveillance the same vehicle was driven onto the site. In each case, the driver, later identified as Perry, exits the vehicle, pulls a pair of bolt cutters from the back seat and walks to a unit, where he cuts the lock. He then returns the bolt cutters to the vehicle and retrieves a pair of gloves from the front seat. Using the gloves, he opens the storage unit door. He then returns to the vehicle and removes the gloves. Several trips are then made from the storage unit to the vehicle.

In one case, Perry is reportedly accompanied by a female. In a subsequent visit, Perry is accompanied by two unidentified males and a female, who appear to be acting as look-outs.

During a Nov. 16 visit, video surveillance captured the license plate of the vehicle, allowing law enforcement to trace the number. However, the number did not match Perry’s vehicle. The owners of the vehicle attached to the plate were contacted and information was gathered clearing them of involvement in the case.

In December, an investigator from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office traveled to Stone County Missouri to interview Perry, who was incarcerated at the facility in Galena.

Perry had been arrested on Dec. 15 in connection with a break-in of a storage unit in that area. The vehicle he had been driving was found wrecked on the side of the highway with no one around.

Looking at items taken from the wrecked vehicle, the investigator identified two tool boxes strapped to the roof rack of the SUV in video taken in one of the Marion County break-ins. A number of cut locks were also found in the vehicle.

While Perry reportedly told the investigator he had a girlfriend “a while back” that lived in Mountain Home, he denied any involvement in the local break-ins. He said he “lets a lot of friends drive his vehicle.” He said it could have been one of them in the video surveillance photos.

Perry is being held on $50,000 bond.

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