Rochester man drives to Alton PD in car allegedly full of stolen items

ALTON — Police didn't have to look too far for evidence of the burglaries they suspected of a Rochester man. He did them the favor of driving his vehicle, full of items they suspected to taken from local residents, almost to their doorstep.

According to a report from police, a resident on New Durham Road first brought Michael Spear of Rochester to the attention of local police on October 7. The resident noticed that man on his neighbor's property and recorded the license plate of the vehicle he was driving. Alton Sergeant Tim Sullivan received the initial report and, using the license plate number, was able to find a telephone number listed under Spear's name. After Spear couldn't provide a legitimate purpose for his activity, Sullivan asked Spear to come to the police station for a face-to-face interview.

When Spear arrived for the interview, later that same day, officers noticed that he walked to the station rather than driving. When asked about that, he said he had parked his vehicle up the road. Officers found his vehicle parked at the TD Bank located a few hundred feet from the police department. The vehicle had its front plate removed and was parked with the back of the vehicle positioned against a wall. A closer look by officers revealed that Spear had appeared to have replaced his license plate with a dealer plate and that the vehicle was full of items, ranging from construction tools to household items and a firearm, later determined to be a .22 caliber long rifle.

As a result of information revealed during the interview, police were able to link Spear to a burglary on New Durham Road as well as three others in nearby communities. Spear's vehicle was impounded and searched, through which police recovered 36 items which they believe were stolen. Several of the items have been allegedly already been identified by victims. During his interview, reported Alton Chief Ryan Heath, Spear allegedly told police that he began his activity after losing his job and falling on difficult financial times. So far, he's suspected of being involved in burglaries dating back three months.

Spear is 43 and lives at 348 Portland Street, Apt. 4, in Rochester. He's been charged with burglary and Heath suspects that further charges will follow as the Alton police work with colleagues to connect Spear with complaints in other towns.

Heath cautioned residents to take proper precautions and urged them to report suspicious behavior. "Lock your doors and take the keys out of your vehicles. We have noticed and increase in theft related crimes since the decline in the economy. Please take the time to report suspicious vehicles or activity in your neighborhoods. The Alton Police Department has increased our presence throughout the town, but we still need the community's hep to cover this large area."

WITH SPEAR in AA