Sikeston police report catching juvenile in middle of burglary

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Arrests in an early morning burglary may tie up loose ends in similar recent cases.

Around 1:04 a.m. today, officers with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety were called to Jay's Taxi, located at 111 N. Kingshighway. A worker reported hearing a loud noise, which woke him up, said Sgt. Jim McMillen, public information officer for DPS.

The worker went outside and noticed someone had pushed the wall air conditioner unit into the office, which the worker did not have access to.

"He then went out back and saw a kid climbing out of the cinder block area, with a pot full of change," said McMillen. The change was estimated to total around $10.

The juvenile and the worker then got into a scuffle in the parking lot. During the struggle, the employee's knee was injured, and he was later transported to Missouri Delta Medical Center.

The juvenile was apprehended and later arrested for first-degree burglary. During follow-up interviews, two other individuals, each 17 years old, were arrested in connection with the crime. Their names are being withheld pending the filing of formal charges through the Scott County Prosecutor's Office.

McMillen said, with those arrests, investigators are looking into similar recent burglaries and whether the suspects were involved in them as well.