Wood County charges trio in flare-up of burglaries

7/24/2008

BOWLING GREEN - Investigators hope a rash of daytime burglaries in Wood County will come to an end with the arrest Tuesday night of a trio of suspected burglars.

Sissie Shepherd, 26; Charles Buder, 31, and Anthony Sheeks, 23, all of North Baltimore, Ohio, were arrested and charged with burglary after detectives tracked them to a Napoleon Road apartment in Bowling Green.

Joseph Luna, 43, and Dodi Garcia, 35, both of Findlay, were arrested July 10 on burglary charges and are believed to be connected to the ring, said Detective Lt. Jamie Webb of the Wood County Sheriff's Office.

The group is believed to be responsible for at least 12 break-ins in the county. Detectives are working with investigators in Hancock and Putnam counties to try to solve a similar rash of crimes.

Lieutenant Webb said most of the burglaries have occurred in the daytime, in rural areas. Two were reported as recently as Tuesday in the Hoytville area.

"They were taking jewelry and electronics - game systems, laptop computers, flat-screen TVs," he said.

It is believed the burglars would steal items that could be easily sold or traded for heroin.

"They were very brazen," Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn said.

The sheriff said the burglaries had been reported for some time but intensified in May.