Cape, Chaffee men face felony burglary charges

On a quest to steal gas for their truck in the early hours of Aug. 13, two men burglarized homes in Cape Girardeau County and carried away more than just gasoline. They also have admitted stealing a go-cart and power tools.

A home at 1403 County Road 254, a shed at 77 County Road 262 and a grocery store at 4315 Route P were burglarized.

On Wednesday, Aaron L. Jenkins, 23, of Cape Girardeau was charged with two counts of felony burglary and two counts of felony stealing. On Thursday, Garrett Williams, 18, of Chaffee, Mo., was charged with three counts of felony burglary and three counts of felony stealing.

According to the probable cause statements, both men confessed to the burglaries earlier this week. All the charges are class C felonies that each carry a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

According to the probable cause statements, Jenkins spotted the first home and suggested they search the garage for gas. Once inside, he decided to take a weed-eater, two grinders, an assortment of tools, two plastic gas cans and several gallons of gas. Jenkins made two or three trips to the garage while Williams waited in the truck, police say.

After driving off, Williams and Jenkins spotted several gas tanks and sheds. Williams climbed out and searched around, finding locks on all the tanks. But inside one shed, he found a go-cart and a gear reduction starter.

Police say the men stole more than $4,400 in items in the burglaries. Williams allegedly stole additional items that day at Lancaster Grocery store on Route P.

Williams allegedly broke the front door and stole about $700 in cigarettes and $300 in coins.

A surveillance camera at Schnucks in Cape Girardeau videotaped the men entering the store at about 4:15 a.m. the day of the burglaries and approaching the Coinstar machine.

jmetelski@semissourian.com