The alert reaction of the FAMU Police department resulted in the arrest of two FSU students attempting to burglarize a vehicle parked in the garage at the intersections of Gamble and Wahnish Way on Wednesday.
Patrol officers Freddie Franklin and Evelyn Anderson were conducting routine surveillance of the parking garage during the wee hours of the morning, when they spotted a young man exiting his own vehicle and inspecting the contents of another located in the parking facility.
After reaching inside the Geo Metro through a broken out rear passenger side window, the young man returned to his vehicle, a Ford Taurus, driven by a second individual and attempted to exit the garage.
A traffic stop was quickly enacted and arrests promptly made. The suspects, later identified as Jaime C. Feal and Michael Ryan Crose, both 20, were charged with one count each of burglary of a conveyance, a third degree felony carrying a maximum 5-year sentence and a $5,000 fine.
Police confiscated a variety of electronic gear and tools the Florida State students had in their possession at the time of their arrest.
Feal and Crose were booked in the Leon County Detention Center, but were later released, pending trial according to Leon County Records Clerk Joann Myers.
When asked about the intensified patrolling of the parking garage, Assistant FAMU Police Chief John Earst said that monitoring the parking facilities on campus has always been a priority, but was stepped up ever since late last year.
Although arrests have been made, Earst said the FAMU police department would maintain a vigilant watch of all parking areas on campus. “These arrests are not indicative of the investigation being complete,” Earst said.
While FAMU law enforcement are trying to determine if the foiled theft attempt can be connected with any prior auto burglaries, they declined to comment, citing the need to not compromise the ongoing investigation.
Feal and Crose potentially face disciplinary action on yet another front. In Tallahassee there is a mechanism in place between TCC, FAMU and FSU that stipulates if a student is arrested in the others institution’s jurisdiction, a report of the incident will be forwarded to the student’s college or university for administrative action.
burglars