Crossroads Crooks with Appetite for Apple Computers Nabbed by Kansas City Police

By Kevin Collison

Kansas City police have arrested two men in connection with a series of smash-and-grab business burglaries in the Crossroads Arts District in recent months that mostly targeted Apple computers.

Det. Tim Mountz said Tuesday the men were arrested Monday in connection with at least five of the more than dozen burglaries in the Crossroads since April. One of the more recent break-ins occurred last Thursday at the Mid-America Arts Alliance, 2018 Baltimore Ave.

“It’s part of a pattern that started in April and culminated with our first arrests yesterday,” Mountz said.

“There is still one person we’re looking for, he got away before we got to the house, but we have all his info and he’s being sought now.”

The detective said property linked to five separate burglaries was found at the house. The men have not been charged at this point and were not identified.

One of the two suspects was turned over to the U.S. Marshall’s office to face unrelated federal charges, Mountz said.

Jeff Owens, president of the Crossroads Community Association, was relieved over the arrests. He said the suspects also are believed to have burglarized businesses in Brookside and other areas of the city.

“It’s been a really great thing that police figured it out and got on top of them,” he said. “It’s been our neighborhood working together helping with videos and descriptions. That helped immensely to get these guys.”

Mountz said most of the burglaries occurred quickly, in some cases the suspects being in and out of the business within a minute. All involved businesses in roughly the area between McGee and Broadway, from 16th to 21st streets.

That corresponds with accounts by Crossroads business owners who described the suspects as wearing black hoodies and white gloves, smashing glass and quickly grabbing computer gear before fleeing.

Mountz said the thefts primarily were Apple computer equipment.

“We’re still looking for a lot of stuff and we’re following up on leads,” he said.

Margaret Keogh, director of marketing and communication for the Mid-America Arts Alliance, said the break-in there occurred early Thursday morning.

“Four laptops we taken from our building,” she said. “There’s an on-going investigation, and with that I cannot say too much more.”