Three men in custody after Salvation Army burglary

Three Cape Girardeau men are facing felony charges of stealing and second-degree burglary for their alleged involvement in a Sunday afternoon theft at the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau.

Curtis P. Williams

The incident is believed to have taken place after one of the suspects, 22-year-old Jaleel M. Henry, attended a church service at the facility then hid in the gymnasium, according to a probable-cause statement written by Cape Girardeau patrolman David Weidenbenner.

Bron'dale L. Wilkerson

At about 4:40 p.m., a witness noticed a side door to the facility’s rear garage was open, according to the statement. The witness saw Henry and a second suspect, 28-year-old Curtis P. Williams, loading donated toys and clothing items into a dark gray 2005 Toyota 4Runner, according to the statement.

The witness approached the vehicle and saw a third suspect, 20-year-old Bron’dale L. Wilkerson, in the driver’s seat. The witness then went into the gym to advise a second witness of the situation, Weidenbenner wrote.

Both witnesses then returned to the garage area where they photographed then confronted the three suspects about taking the items without permission, but, according to the statement, the suspects ignored the witnesses.

Lt. Matt DeGonia demonstrates the Salvation Army's new electronic donation process Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, at the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau.Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian

A witness stated Henry and Williams continued placing the donated items into the vehicle, Weidenbenner wrote, and the witness began to pull items back into the garage to prevent further items from being stolen.

Henry grabbed one last bag of items at that time and placed it into the vehicle, according to the statement, and the three suspects left in the vehicle shortly thereafter. The witnesses then contacted Salvation Army local director Lt. Virginia DeGonia, who reported the burglary.

After inspecting the building, DeGonia found several items missing with an estimated total value of $1,270, Weidenbenner wrote.

Officers mirandized and detained Henry and Williams later that evening after they were located walking near the intersection of North Ellis and Independence streets, according to the statement.

Wilkerson was also found later that evening and booked into the Cape Girardeau jail, Weidenbenner wrote, where he told police he had been contacted by Henry to bring the vehicle to the Salvation Army to help load the clothing, but he had never exited the vehicle.

Henry told police he had gone to the church at about 11 a.m. and entered the gym area about 45 minutes later to call a relative, Weidenbenner wrote, then exited the gym around noon and went to the garage area where he began looking through the donated clothes.

According to the statement, it was then Henry contacted Williams and Wilkerson to come to the building and collect the clothing. Henry told police he “hadn’t asked permission to take the clothing, but didn’t think it was a problem,” Weidenbenner wrote.

Henry agreed to a search of his apartment on North Ellis Street, where officers located two signed checks made out to the Salvation Army for $80 and $30, according to the statement.

Wilkerson told police he drove Henry and Williams back to the apartment where they unloaded the stolen items, Weidenbenner wrote, but “Wilkerson stated he never saw computers or a lock box being taken inside.”

According to the statement, Wilkerson saw Henry and Williams in the living room area with four or five black laptop computers around 8 p.m. Sunday, but Henry told Wilkerson not to worry about it.

Director Lt. Matt DeGonia said the Salvation Army will continue to provide its services to the community as usual.

“We will continue our day-to-day operations as we always have, trying to make sure everyone is safe and make sure the people that come into our building are safe, but we’re just a little — I guess ‘hurt’ is a good word for it,” he said.

“If you’re feeling desperate enough to steal stuff, you should really just come in and talk to us and see how we can help you. We don’t ever want people to feel that there’s no other option for them.”