The Boone County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a series of burglaries that took place during a three-week period from March 12 to April 2.
The burglaries took place in the Lake of the Woods and Fairway Meadows areas.
Three apartments and one house were burglarized at Fairway Meadows and two houses were burglarized at Lake of the Woods.
“The only thing that stands out is the close proximity of the burglaries and the time frame,” said Tom O’Sullivan, Boone County Sheriff’s Department spokesman. “In most of the cases, the doors were busted open. In one instance, the burglars got through the window and in another the door would not lock, so that’s how they got in.”
Sullivan said expensive and easy-to-carry items like firearms, jewelry and cash were stolen.
“They ran in and grabbed what they saw,” Sullivan said.
According to a news release from the Boone County Sheriff’s Department, citizens on Snead Drive, Lema Lane, Demaret Drive, Pin Oak Court and Golf Boulevard reported break-ins where gaming devices, flat screen TVs, loose change and firearms were stolen.
Although the police believe it to be the work of the same group, Sullivan said the possibility of the burglaries being carried out by different people cannot be ruled out.
“In situations like this, however, we tend to think it is the work of one group,” Sullivan said.
The burglaries took place during the day when the owners were not home, as all the residences targeted are owned by people employed during the day. None of the residences are occupied by students.
The first burglary took place on March 12. There were two burglaries on March 14 and another on March 22. Two more burglaries occurred on April 2.
The investigation is ongoing. The department has urged residents in the area to be on the lookout for suspicious persons and vehicles.
Anyone with information about these burglaries can contact CrimeStoppers at 875-7477.
So far this year, there have been 17 reported burglaries in Columbia, 13 of which were residential.