‘Crawling burglar’ tied to more crimes

A serial burglar known for breaking glass or removing windowpanes and then crawling into businesses has been linked to more crimes, including one the day before his arrest, according to police in Cobb County. The loss to one of the businesses was more than $25,000, the manager told investigators.

Aron Jermaine Major, 47, has been in jail since his arrest earlier this month, booking records show. But the charges have continued to mount for Major, who could be linked to similar crimes across metro Atlanta, police said.

Major served four prison sentences for felony convictions in Gwinnett, Fulton and Henry counties, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. Most recently, he served about two years before being released in April 2018, records show. Major’s rap sheet contains several burglary convictions.

But since at least September, Major has been in Cobb County, burglarizing various restaurants in the Kennesaw, Marietta and Acworth areas, according to police. Last week, Cobb police agencies secured two additional warrants for Major, bringing the total number of businesses he’s allegedly hit to 21.

According to one of the recent warrants, Major is accused of stealing $25,560 in cash along with cartons of cigarettes and liquor from a Marietta package store. The March 6 burglary at Mink’s Package on Delk Road happened between 5:30 a.m. and 7 a.m., the warrant states.

“Said accused was captured on video surveillance wearing a black and gray jacket and black jeans with a distinct sewn-on emblem on each back pocket of the jeans,” the warrant states. “Said accused used a yellow pry bar to access the drawers.”

It’s his distinctive clothing and his license plate, all caught on security cameras, that have helped investigators link Major to the crimes. Major is accused of following a similar pattern once getting inside the businesses in the overnight or early-morning hours.

“Once inside, the said accused, as seen on camera crawled on his stomach to avoid setting off the motion detectors in the business,” one warrant states. “The said accused pried open the cash register and took $2,313.86.”

In March, Major allegedly burglarized four businesses in one night, including three restaurants and an oil change shop, the warrant states.

At the Tokyo Valentino on Johnson Ferry Road on Oct. 20, Major is accused of stealing about $21,000 in cash and merchandise, including 61 lingerie outfits, high heels, various sex toys and 500 $25 gift cards, according to police.

On May 31, Major is accused of burglarizing a Mexican restaurant on Sandy Plains Road. He was arrested the following day.

The investigation into the burglaries continues. Major was being held without bond

Friday at the Cobb jail.