Parolee’s alleged burglary spree ends with arrest after manhunt
A parolee sought on multiple warrants from an alleged two-week burglary spree of area businesses was arrested Thursday morning following a brief manhunt after fleeing from a Garland County sheriff’s deputy.
Mitchell Allen Burroughs,
30, who is reportedly homeless, was taken into custody shortly before 10 a.m. on three felony counts of commercial burglary, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of fleeing on foot.
Burroughs was being held on a $12,500 bond and was set to appear Friday in Garland County District Court. According to court records, he was convicted of residential burglary and possession of a controlled substance on June 8, 2022, and sentenced to two years in prison, but was later paroled.
According to probable cause affidavits obtained Friday, on Aug. 28, the owner of a mechanic shop at 6027 Albert Pike Road in Royal reported his shop had been broken into and multiple items were missing, including numerous tools, a roll-around battery charger and money, for a total estimated loss of $18,750.
The owner told sheriff’s investigators he believed the thief was a former employee, identified as Burroughs, who had recently “been let go.” He also noted entry to the shop was made through the rear where a sheet of tin had been pulled back.
After his arrest, Burroughs was read his rights and reportedly admitted to entering the shop one night through a “piece of metal sheeting that was loose.” He stated he didn’t remember everything he took but he placed the items in the woods nearby where some of them were retrieved by deputies the next day.
When asked where the items were now, he stated some were stolen from him and others he used to get food.
On Sept. 7, shortly before 3:30 a.m., patrol deputies responded to Meredith’s One Stop, 6139 Highway 7 north, for a burglary that had just occurred. Deputies located a broken window, valued at $1,000, on the side of the business where entry was made and it was determined $1,500 worth of cigarettes and about $500 of other merchandise were missing.
The total of damages to the store and loss of merchandise was estimated at $2,891.56.
Around 5:15 a.m. that day, sheriff’s Sgt. Clayton Green spoke to the business owner and she showed him security video of the burglar, a white male wearing a sleeveless T-shirt with “SWEAT EQUITY” on the front. Green noted the suspect had distinctive tattoos on his left arm and was wearing a hat. The suspect could be seen taking items in the video.
That same day, Green also responded to Bennett Brothers Stone Co., 5613 Highway 7 north, where a burglary had also occurred. Security video there showed a white male wearing the same T-shirt entering the business just past midnight.
The suspect used force to break in the rear door of Bennett’s and took several items from inside including a jump box, grinder, sanding blades and an extension cord for a total loss of $1,135.
The owner of Meredith’s posted photos of the suspect on social media asking for the public to help identify him and received numerous responses allegedly saying it was Burroughs.
Burroughs’ Facebook profile included photos of him with the same tattoos shown in the video, wearing the same hat. A check of prior booking photos and his driver’s license photo reportedly confirmed it was Burroughs in the videos.
On Thursday, at around 9:47 a.m., Deputy Michael Wagner was traveling east on Albert Pike Road near its intersection with Kirschwood Drive when he saw a white male in a black tank top shirt carrying a backpack walking west and as he drove past him, he reportedly recognized the male as Burroughs.
Knowing Burroughs had warrants, he turned around, rolled his window down and stated, “Mitchell!” Burroughs then turned his head toward Wagner and started to walk toward him. As Wagner exited his unit, Burroughs reportedly turned suddenly and started running away.
Wagner chased him as he fled north down a ravine and into the nearby woods. The deputy continued to chase him through the woods, but ultimately lost sight of him and walked back to his patrol unit.
Moments later, Hot Springs Police Cpl. Brandon Jones and his K-9 partner arrived and he and Wagner began tracking Burroughs with the dog and were reportedly able to locate him hiding under a small dump trailer in the area of Jetson Loop.
Burroughs was taken into custody without further incident and ultimately charged with all three burglaries and for fleeing on foot.