UPDATE: Dover rat burglar behind bars, facing 72 charges

After months of searching for a suspect described only as the rat burglar, Dover Police say there is finally someone in custody.

Dover Police say they have filed charges from 18 commercial burglaries going back to September 14th, 2014 through February 5, 2015, against 49-year-old Thomas Jenkins. Dover PD say they found that Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Department in Maryland, had a series of burglaries that had a similar methods.

Dover PD say they met with the PG County Sheriff, and figured out that they were dealing with a multi-jurisdictional serial burglar. Within a few days of that meeting, Police say the PG Sheriff’s Office linked Jenkins to the crimes, through a vehicle found at one of the burglaries.

According to the report, officers to monitor Jenkins movements over time, and on March 9th, watched him cut a hole in the roof of a building, and go inside through it. Once Jenkins left the scene, A PG County Sheriff’s Deputy was able to pull him over, and take him into custody, during which they found a .45 caliber handgun that was stolen from a business in Delaware State Police’s jurisdiction on him, and an additional .45 caliber handgun stolen from the same business, in his vehicle.

As a result of the collective efforts of the Dover Police Department, Prince Georges County Sheriff’s Department, Delaware State Police Department, and others, Jenkins will now be charged in the eighteen commercial burglaries that occurred in Dover, with a total of 72 charges.

Jenkins is now facings 4 counts of wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony, 18 counts of third degree burglary, 18 counts of possession of burglary tools, 14 counts of theft under $1,500, and 18 total counts 2 of which are felonies of criminal mischief.

The charges stem from burglaries at the following locations:
-Maple Dale Country Club
-Manlove Auto Parts
-Sovereign Properties
-Morgan Properties
-U and I Builders
-AMCO Check Cashing
-Colonial Investment
-1st Capital Mortgage
-Advantage Travel
-Ancient Way Massage
-Tranquil Spirit Massage/Spa
-Christopher Asay Massage
-Morgan Communities
-Vincenzo’s Reastaurant
-Happy Fortune Chinese Restaurant
-Happy 13 Liquors
-Del-One Credit Union
-Pizza Time