Eaton County trio linked to string of self-storage burglaries

IONIA - Investigators said they are working to determine whether three Eaton County residents arrested after a burglary at a self-storage facility in Ionia County nearly two weeks ago might be linked to similar break-ins in the Lansing area.

Brieann Treloar and Corey Caudill, both 32 and from Potterville, and Richard Pettigrew, 55, of Dimondale, have been charged in connection with the Oct. 28 break-in in Saranac, the Ionia County Sheriff's Office said.

Detectives have evidence linking the three people to "a string of related burglaries in other areas of the state, as well as Ionia County," sheriff's officials said in a news release. It's unclear if any of those happened in the Lansing area.

Ionia County Sheriff's Detective Jon Ruswinckel said the trio has been linked to burglaries in Ionia, Barry and Montcalm counties. Investigators are still trying to determine if they are responsible for any break-ins in Ingham and Clinton counties, he said.

"It takes time to connect all the dots," Ruswinckel said.

The Eaton County Sheriff's Office has been unable to match any of the recovered stolen property to burglaries in Eaton County, a spokeswoman said Thursday.

Ionia County detectives had been investigating a string of late-night break-ins from storage units when a deputy noticed a car leaving the Saranac self-storage facility shortly after midnight Oct. 28 and stopped the driver, sheriff's officials said.

Treloar, Caudill and Pettigrew were arrested and charged two days later with breaking and entering and possession of burglary tools, officials said.

Police recovered stolen property during the Oct. 28 traffic stop and more stolen property during a search at a Potterville address on Oct. 31.

Investigators also found heroin, methamphetamine and meth lab materials during the Potterville search, conducted in concert with city police, sheriff's officials said. Potterville police are handling the drug investigation, they said.

More stolen items were recovered during a search of a storage unit in Potterville on Nov. 1, officials said.

"It is believed that most of the property recovered was stolen in Ionia and Barry (counties), though Eaton County and other local police departments have reported similar burglaries," Ionia officials said in the news release.

The Ionia County Sheriff's Office is trying to locate owners of the stolen items. Victims can call the detective bureau at (616) 527-8259 to inquire if their property has been recovered.

Contact Ken Palmer at (517) 377-1032 or kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.