Citizen’s tip leads to alleged burglar’s arrest
An alleged serial burglar is in custody thanks to a citizen’s tip to the Susanville Police Department.
According to a statement from the SPD, officers were dispatched to the Lassen National Forest Service Yard located at Fifth Street and Grand Avenue on a report of a suspicious person walking inside the gated area about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 5.
Lassen County Sheriff’s deputies and SPD officers arrived and began an area search. A deputy located a subject who matched the description and identified him as Jeremy Paul Swartz, 44, of Janesville. Swartz was arrested for several no bail warrants.
During a subsequent search of Swartz’s backpack, officers located Forest Service radios and a laptop computer. A check of the computer came back to an employee of McKinley School. Officers checked the school grounds and located a building that had been broken into. Items reported missing from the school were found inside the backpack Swartz had in his possession.
After being arrested for his outstanding warrants, Schwartz was booked into the Lassen County Jail on new charges of burglary, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, vandalism and trespassing.
“We would like to thank the reporting party who was in the area and reported this suspicious activity,” according to the statement. “Our citizens are encouraged to contact authorities when they see this type of activity so it can be investigated quickly and the responsible person(s) be held accountable.”
The case has been referred to the Lassen County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
