WATERVILLE — A Benton man suspected in a number of property crimes has been charged with felony burglary Tuesday in connection to a home break-in at a Matthews Avenue residence last week.

Jacob Kerby, 22, of Bangor Road, Benton, was arrested by Waterville detectives Tuesday afternoon at a Kings Court residence and charged with class B burglary and theft by unauthorized taking, a class C offense.

Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey said an investigation into Kerby started Oct. 1, when police responded to a reported burglary at a Matthews Avenue home. The owners had returned home to find the back door of the house forced open and a number of items missing, including jewelry worth several thousand dollars, a laptop computer, an iPad and a small amount of cash.

Detective Duane Cloutier, investigating the break-in, suspected Kerby was involved because he was a suspect in a number of other recent property crimes in Waterville, Rumsey said.

Through a confidential informant, Cloutier made contact with Kerby and bought one of the items that was stolen and verified that it belonged to the Matthews Avenue residents, Rumsey said. He did not say what the item was because identifying it could compromise the informant.

Based on probable cause, Cloutier got a warrant for Kerby’s arrest. On Tuesday afternoon, police got a tip that Kerby was at a Kings Court residence in the South End. Officers set up a perimeter around the home, and detectives went in to arrest him, Rumsey said. Detectives assigned the perimeter because they were concerned Kerby could see them coming and would run to escape arrest, he added.

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To date, the only property recovered was the item Kerby sold to the police informant, Rumsey said.

Kerby is also a suspect in a number of motor vehicle break-ins that occurred in the South End over the summer, Rumsey said. Kerby has multiple prior convictions, starting in 2011 with two counts of assault, counts of theft and criminal trespass in 2014 and another count of theft earlier this year, Rumsey said.

Class B crimes are subject to a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, and class C crimes are punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Kerby has a Nov. 23 court date.

Peter McGuire — 861-9239

pmcguire@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @PeteL_McGuire


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