Lansing, N.Y. — Two Ithacans have admitted to committing more than 20 burglaries throughout Tompkins County, according to the sheriff’s office.
Leandre Lovett, 21, and Nadie Leigh Phoenix, 24, have confessed to the string of burglaries that have rattled Ithaca businesses and frustrated law enforcement since July, a news release said.
Places the burglaries occurred include Trumansburg, the city of Ithaca, the village of Dryden and Chemung County, the release said.
Lovett and Phoenix were both charged with one count of burglary in the second degree and two counts of burglary in the third degree. More charges are possible.
Here’s how the arrest happened:
On Tuesday, at around 1:24 a.m., sheriff’s deputies found a broken window at a Subway on Catherwood Road in Lansing.
During their investigation, deputies saw a suspect vehicle in the area of Subway shortly after the broken window was discovered. The vehicle matched the information gathered by the sheriff’s office, New York State Police and the Ithaca Police Department during the investigation into the burglaries.
Lovett and Phoenix were stopped, arrested and taken to the sheriff’s office. They’ve since admitted to the burglaries, according to law enforcement.
Both defendants were arraigned before Judge Banfield in the Town of Lansing Court. Lovett has been remanded without bail and Phoenix has been remanded with $25,000 cash or $50,000 bail bond.
Update 6:30 p.m. —
WHCU has a nice scoop on the criminal history of Lovett, which it learned through a Freedom of Information Law request:
According to a FOIL request obtained by WHCU, Lovett was responsible for break-ins that happened at Za Zas Cuisine, the state Department of Motor Vehicles location on Third Street, and Quilter’s Corner in March of 2012. His name was not released at the time police announced the arrest.
Three months later, Lovett was also arrested for assaulting a corrections officer while serving as an inmate at the Tompkins County Jail, according to a report by the Ithaca Journal.
Incomplete round-up of headlines related to the burglaries
Ithaca businesses offer $1,000 reward for arrest in break-in spree – Business owners in Ithaca are starting to pool their money together to put up a reward for information that leads to the arrest of a suspect in a string of break-ins this summer. WHCU Radio
Burglar hits Cornell Sailing Center on East Shore Drive – Cornell police are asking for help finding the burglar or burglars who broke into the university’s Sailing Center this weekend. The Ithaca Voice
Purity Ice Cream, Subway latest hit in round of break-ins at Ithaca businesses – At least 12 businesses have now been hit. The Ithaca Voice
5 seen on rooftops of Ithaca businesses arrested; police probe link to break-ins – Two people seen on the roof of Firehouse Subs and three people seen on the roof of Home Depot were arrested in separate incidents this weekend amid a rash of break-ins at Ithaca businesses. The Ithaca Voice
Ithaca police report 2 more burglaries, say officers are overworked – Two more commercial burglaries occurred in Ithaca Monday night after a string of them were reported over the weekend. The Ithaca Voice
Video shows burglar smashing window of Ithaca business, entering offices – The Ithaca Voice.
Burglars strike businesses on Ithaca’s west side again; 7 in area have now been recently hit – One man is suspected in three burglaries this weekend. The Ithaca Voice
Video shows burglar smashing window of Ithaca business, entering offices – A break-in this weekend at a business on Ithaca’s west side was caught on tape by a security camera. The Ithaca Voice
Burglars strike Ithaca’s The Piggery, break window and steal cash – “It just feels intensely violating to have something like this happen,” one Piggery employee said. The Ithaca Voice