Plainfield police have arrested the man they believe is responsible for about half of over 20 residential burglaries they have investigated in the Moosup Village portion of town since mid-July.
William R. Gibson, 26, of Moosup Village, is facing multiple burglary charges after police took him into custody early Saturday morning following his two attempts to leave the state, according to police.
Police stopped Gibson on his way to the Providence, Rhode island bus terminal at 10 a.m. on Thursday with a bus ticket to Texas, but he refused to cooperate with police and didn't have any of the stolen items on him, according to a news release from Plainfield Police Chief Michael G. Surprenant. Police interviewed him and released him.
But later, a local cab company and Gibson's Texas relatives told police that he was in Providence with another bus ticket to Texas and helped get him back to Plainfield for a second interview with police. By that point, police had enough evidence to charge him in the serial burglaries and obtained an arrest warrant.
Officers took Gibson into custody on Saturday at 3:45 a.m. Police charged him with eight counts of third-degree burglary, second-degree burglary, three counts of conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary, five counts of sixth-degree larceny, fifth-degree larceny, two counts of fourth-degree larceny, two counts of third-degree larceny and four counts of third-degree criminal mischief.
Police are holding Gibson in custody on a $250,000 bond until his arraignment Monday in Danielson Superior Court.
The department anticipates further arrests in connection to the rash of burglaries over the past month.
In the meantime, Planfield police remind residents to "remain vigilant, lock their doors, and report any suspicious activity" to the department at 860-564-0804 or via the anonymous tip line at 860-564-7065 "if the incident does not need immediate attention."
