Release Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010

             Six counts of vehicle burglary have been filed and additional charges are pending as an investigation centers around a man who was stealing items from vehicles and selling or trading them for drugs.

Sean McAuley, 21, no permanent address, has been charged with six counts of vehicle burglary, four counts of grand theft, two counts of petit theft, and one count each of dealing in stolen property, fraudulent use of a credit card, and forgery.

McAuley was arrested Friday after Officer Tom Bacon saw him walking up and down parking aisles and looking into vehicles near the front entrance to Cordova Mall. Bacon recognized the suspect as being wanted on an outstanding warrant for vehicle burglary and arrested him.

Detective Jonathan Thacker said McAuley is suspected of entering vehicles at Cordova Mall, Logan’s and a nearby apartment complex between Jan. 27 and Feb. 1.

McAuley was initially identified after he stole a newly purchased computer game from a vehicle on Feb. 10 and returned it to a store at the mall. The suspect gave a store employee his driver’s license for ID and received a store gift card, which was used to identify him, after the theft was reported by the victim.

Thacker said McAuley typically canvassed unlocked vehicles near the front entrance to Cordova Mall; however, at least one report shows the suspect broke a window on a vehicle to steal a GPS device.

Electronic items, wallets, purses, credit cards, a cell phone, digital camera, and identification cards were among the items reported stolen. Thacker said some of the stolen electronic equipment was sold or traded for drugs. A dollar estimate on the stolen goods is not available.

Social Security and identification cards, driver’s licenses and other items identifying victims were found in McAuley’s motel room, Thacker said.

   Sean McAuley