Cape Girardeau residents face felony charges after alleged laundry coin heist

Three Cape Girardeau residents were arrested on burglary charges early Sunday morning, June 30.

According to a news release from the Cape Girardeau Police Department, 33-year-old Christian Lewis-Smith, 29-year-old Celeste Moreno and 27-year-old Zachary Tackett were taken into custody after being caught allegedly stealing quarters from communal laundry machines at approximately 2 a.m. in the 400 block of South Spring Street in Cape Girardeau.

During their investigation, officers found a grinder, a bag of quarters and noticed several communal washing machines had been damaged with their coins removed. Additionally, police found a “quantity” of suspected illegal narcotics, although the amount wasn’t released.

Lewis-Smith was charged by the Cape Girardeau County Prosecutors Office with the Class D felony of second-degree burglary, Class D felony of possession of a controlled substance and the Class E felony of first-degree property damage. He is being held at the Cape Girardeau County jail on a $30,000 cash-only bond.

Tackett was also charged with second-degree burglary and first-degree property damage and is held on a $20,000 cash or surety bond.

Moreno was charged with second-degree burglary and is held on a $15,000 cash or surety bond.