Burglary Suspect Arrested

November 9, 2010

Rural Marshall County - Citizens key to the arrest of suspect in rural Marshall County burglary case.

On the afternoon of 11-1-10, a burglary to a rural residence was reported to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, at 2026 Zeller Ave. An investigation at the scene indicated an entry door was kicked in and some ransacking was done inside the home. No property was reported missing at this location.

Prior to the discovery of this burglary, authorities received two calls from Marshall County citizens involving a suspicious vehicle with a white male subject who had been knocking on doors of rural residences, and asking for directions. A suspect was developed before the report of the actual burglary.

Further investigation led to the issuance of an arrest warrant for the suspect, who was taken into custody on 11-5-10.

Arrested as a result of this investigation was:

Justin Dale Sutton, age 29, of Marshalltown.

Sutton was charged with burglary 3rd degree, a Class D felony, punishable by up to a maximum 5 years in prison and/or a fine not exceeding $7,500.00. Sutton bonded out of the Marshall County Jail on 11-6-10, after making an initial appearance in court.

The incident on Zeller Avenue, has been just one of a rash of residential burglaries occurring throughout rural Marshall County. From August 1, 2010 through November 1, 2010 Marshall County residents have reported over 30 similar burglaries to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office. While not all these burglaries are related, several of them occurred during the daytime hours in rural Marshall County. These incidents would occur over small 2-3 day periods with long periods of non-activity in between. This strategy has made it difficult for authorities to tie various bits and pieces of evidence together to form a more solid investigation.

Since the release of our "request for citizens to be on the watch for suspicious vehicles"(October 4th, 2010), MCSO has received dozens of calls from concerned citizens on various forms of suspicious activity. Not only have these calls netted the apprehension of Mr. Sutton, such calls from concerned citizens, have helped the Sheriff's Office to gather information on several other suspects who are believed to be involved in similar type incidents. From information gathered during the investigation, search warrants have been issued, and property stolen during burglaries in Marshall County, as well as other counties, has been recovered.

Eye-witness information, combined with the processing of evidence located during the investigation, has helped MCSO to secure arrest warrants for two other individuals believed to be involved in some of the reported burglaries. Further information on this investigation as well as the additional suspect names are being with-held at this time due to the continuation of our investigation. We anticipate as many as 5 additional arrest warrants may be garnered as a result of the evaluation of evidence that has been found.

Sheriff Kamatchus said, "This is the perfect example of how citizens can work together with authorities to develop a positive impact. We ask that they(citizens) remain diligent in their watching for suspicious activity. If they feel there is something out of line, or of a suspicious nature, call our TIP line at 641/844-2882."

The investigation is continuing with notification to be released as additional arrests are made. No other information will be released at this time.

About Marshall County Sheriff's Office
The Marshall County, Iowa Sheriff's Office is lead by Sheriff Ted G. Kamatchus. Sheriff Kamatchus is committed to keeping communities and neighborhoods safe in Marshall County.

For additional information or a sample copy, contact:
Sheriff Ted G. Kamatchus
Marshall County Sheriff's Office
641-754-6380
Fax 641-754-6325
Sheriff@co.marshall.ia.us
www.marshallcountysheriff.com

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