Police: Serial burglar stole guns

Cellphone records virtually mapped out a twomonth crime spree in Cooper City that detectives say led them to a serial burglary suspect.

Donovan Martavis Chandr Campbell, 20, of Lauderhill, is accused of breaking into 17 homes between Nov. 16, 2017, and Jan. 20 of this year to steal firearms, computers, jewelry, and other valuables, the Broward Sheriff's Office said.

It was just four days before Christmas when the burglar broke into Terry Prosser’s home on Southwest 90th Way and stole an AR-15, a .22 caliber rifle, a .38 caliber Taurus revolver, xBox games, and an xBox console from his son’s bedroom.

“The piece of the rock that [the burglar] threw through the window was in my shoe,” Prosser said. “I was furious.”

In an interview Wednesday, Prosser said he was unaware that Campbell had been arrested late last week for the burglaries.

“That’s pretty awesome,” he said.

Joseph Gonzalez, another of Campbell’s alleged burglary victims, lives about four streets away from Prosser and had two guns and some jewelry stolen.

“I had an M-4, because I’m a retired Marine, a .32 caliber Beretta [and] he took a couple of rings, earrings, some watches,” he said. “But, he didn’t take anything he couldn’t carry, so it was something quick.”

All the break-ins occurred in neighborhoods between Griffin and Stirling roads and Southwest 90th

and 105th avenues.

“We talked to a whole bunch of neighbors,” Gonzalez said. “One guy said [the burglar] hit a house behind my block and another one down the road.”

According to the arrest reports filed in the case, a sheriff ’s deputy was patrolling the 5000 block of Southwest 105th Avenue on Jan. 19 when he found a 2011 black Toyota Camry that was reported stolen.

At the same time, a neighborhood resident ran up to the deputy to report a break-in and said the burglar was running away. A perimeter was set up but after several hours no one was found.

Days later, investigators were able to identify Campbell in surveillance videos obtained from some of the burglarized homes.

They also learned of an earlier arrest where Campbell had been driving the Toyota Camry that a woman friend had reported stolen.

Detectives also checked cellphone records that indicated Campbell was in the neighborhood during the 17 burglaries, including two days when he appeared to be trying to retrieve the Toyota that the deputy had found.

Cellphone records also revealed Campbell had been talking to his girlfriend for 37 minutes, on Jan. 19, until she drove to Cooper City to pick him up so he could escape the police perimeter.

“He managed to evade capture by being careful in his approach, but our detectives are tenacious," said Sgt. Nickolas DeGiovanni. "It’s greatly satisfying to be able to notify a victim their case is solved. We may never get their property back, but we hope it helps restore their peace of mind.”

Campbell is facing multiple counts of burglary to an unoccupied dwelling. He was released Sunday from the Broward County Jail after posting bonds totaling $52,000, records show.

Efforts to reach Campbell by telephone for comment were unsuccessful Wednesday.

The investigation is ongoing and detectives have yet to determine whether there are any accomplices, the sheriff ’s office said.