DeLand, FL - A suspect wanted in a spree of vehicular burglaries over the past several months is arrested by the DeLand Police Department.
28-year-old Joseph P. Evans was charged last Friday with 37 counts of burglary and one count of unarmed burglary of an occupied dwelling. As of this morning, he's held at Volusia County Jail on $130,000 bond.
Detectives began the search for a man who had gone on a vehicle burglary spree in DeLand beginning at the end of May. The vehicles that were broken into were either unlocked or had their windows broken.
The burglaries include locations in the neighborhoods of Cascades Park, Crystal Cove, Victoria Trails, Commons and Hills, Bent Oaks and Glenwood Springs.
A major lead came on July 4th when a man matching Evans' appearance was spotted on a home's surveillance system on West Minnesota Avenue attempting to break into two locked vehicles.
The footage was viewed over 17,000 times on social media, generating multiple tips through the DeLand Police Department's crime watch website.
“This is the first major case that our Crime Watch portal was used by a citizen who provided us information that led directly to the arrest of the suspect,” Chief Jason Umberger said. “I want to encourage all residents of the greater DeLand area to subscribe to Crime Watch and use it to help us keep our community safer.”
When Evans was arrested by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office on July 7th, authorities found stolen items in his vehicle as well a Marlins cap that matched one worn by him in multiple videos.
