MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police say a serial burglar has struck again and the suspect’s victims wonder when he’ll ever do hard time.
Records showed 27-year-old Jesse McKinley is locked up at 201 Poplar for burglarizing cars in Downtown Memphis, but as WREG discovered this wasn’t his first time committing similar crimes.
According to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, McKinley plead guilty to burglary in March of 2015.
Police documents revealed McKinley was actually caught red handed by officers breaking into several cars in the garage at the Cabinet Shop Apartments on South Front Street, but his victims want to know why he’s out on the streets.
We did some investigating on our own and discovered he’s accused of doing this in Harbor Town too.
“And you just wonder why is this dude constantly getting out of jail? Why is he still on he streets?”
Frustration in his voice, victim Excell Blanchard wants answers.
He certainly has a right to them after his 2008 Mercedes CL550 had a golf club taken to it early Wednesday morning.
“One of the windows cost $1,700, the other cost $1,260,” he said.
Police said McKinley tried to break in.
He wasn’t able to steal anything and police nabbed him as he was in the process of breaking into other vehicles, including a Shelby County School car.
He was cuffed and put in a squad car but somehow he was able to get away from police.
“It’s just unbelievable! It’s really unbelievable that he can get away with cuffs on,” said Blanchard.
A little later in the day police arrested McKinley at McMillan and Essex.
Detectives said they were familiar with him.
WREG told you of his arrest back in January of 2015 for burglarizing vehicles in Harbor Town.
According to police, he was arrested after a chase on the island and admitted to breaking into vehicles.
“Why is this dude constantly breaking into cars? Why hasn’t he gotten any hard time? It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever,” said Blanchard.
Now Blanchard is concerned.
McKinley’s bail is only $35,000 and he’s worried the accused crook will be back out on the streets and up to his old habits soon.
McKinley would need to come up with 10% to make bail, that’s $3,500.
Police said when officers found him, McKinley was not wearing the handcuffs.
How he got away is under review.
