Two face criminal charges for breaking into Head Start
Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008
Sylvester
Two Fayetteville residents face criminal charges for allegedly breaking into a local Head Start building Monday, as well as a number of other locations during the last month.
Joel Glen Sylvester, 25, of 1101 S. Curtis, No. G 52, in Fayetteville was arrested by police Tuesday night on felony charges involving six counts of burglary, four counts of criminal mischief and one count of theft of property.
Sylvester is accused of breaking into Head Start, 1643 E. Huntsville Road, with a juvenile sometime Monday night. The suspects allegedly gained entry through an unlocked window. While inside, they damaged several pieces of office equipment, furniture, files, kitchen appliances and miscellaneous other items. According to a preliminary arrest report, the suspects also used plastic cups to plug an upstairs sink and allowed the faucet to run through the night. The water damaged a large section of the upstairs flooring, eventually spilling into the downstairs hallway. Several electronic items were taken from various locations inside the building. Additionally, a 1999 Honda Accord vehicle, owned by Head Start, was stolen from the business's parking lot.
Later that afternoon, Fayetteville police received an anonymous tip that a white male, known only as "Joey," was the suspect who had stolen the vehicle from Head Start. The caller also reported seeing the suspect with a young black male in the vehicle near the area of 1101 S. Curtis Ave., where the caller said the two suspects resided.
Officers responded to the residence and located the Head Start vehicle, as well as Sylvester, according to the report. During an interview with police, he initially denied any involvement in the theft or burglary. He later admitted entering the building with a juvenile through an unlocked window. Once inside, the two suspects allegedly took several pieces of electronic equipment, toys and food. Sylvester also admitted taking the company car with the juvenile and driving to several places in Springdale and Fayetteville before returning to his residence on Curtis.
Later during his interview with police, Sylvester admitted to six separate burglaries, two car thefts, multiple copper wire thefts and stealing miscellaneous other items.
According to the report, Sylvester told police that he and the juvenile had broken into a number of other locations during the last month. They allegedly entered at least two buildings and stole copper wire. Sylvester stated that he and the juvenile damaged vehicles by breaking windows, spray painting and pouring chemicals inside. He also admitted to stealing another vehicle on Aug. 8 and driving it around Fayetteville before abandoning it.
Police also interviewed the juvenile, but he admitted only to the burglary at Head Start.
Sylvester was being held in the Washington County Detention Center on Wednesday, but a bond amount had not been set. He is expected to make an appearance in the Washington County Circuit Court on Friday.
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