Columbia Police now have a Columbia teen in custody in connection with a rash of auto burglaries in the Ridgewood subdivision.
Chief Michael Kelly said Metro Crime Stoppers had offered a reward for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of Joseph Leo Lefebvre, 19, after he was spotted in security camera video earlier this week at a home.
Lefebvre turned himself in midday Tuesday after police combed the area for them and issued alerts via social media.
“He was our primary suspect,” Chief Michael Kelly said Tuesday. “He knew we were looking for him. He didn’t show up for work yesterday. We’ve had a warrant for his arrest.”
Lt. Commander Jonathan Harrison said Lefebvre was wanted in connection with at least three auto burglaries that have occurred recently. He was charged Tuesday with two counts of auto burglary and had his bond set at $14,000 in Marion County Justice Court.
“The burglaries occurred on Ridgewood Drive, Gill Street and Orchard Drive. The first one was on Aug. 19 and the last one reported was Aug. 26,” Harrison said. “We’ve also had several commercial burglaries in the Second Street area, but we’re not sure if they are related.”
Lefebvre was previously arrested in December 2017 stemming from an incident in Lakeview. A resident saw people running from his garage and followed in his car and alerted Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies. Lefebrve was charged with trespassing and DUI. Two other suspects were also charged in that incident. At the time, his bond was set at $22,000.
“This is a serious crime to us because no one has the right to break into cars and just start taking things,” Diane James, coordinator for the Metro Crime Stoppers Tip Line, said.
