FORT SMITH, Ark. — A suspect has been arrested in Oklahoma after a string of burglaries in late January targeting local restaurants in Fort Smith.
Fort Smith police announced Tuesday, Feb. 14 that 32-year-old Jerome Hopkins was arrested in Oklahoma City on a warrant connected to the restaurant burglaries that occurred from Jan. 21-23, 2023.
Hopkins has also been linked to burglaries in Oklahoma, the statement from FSPD said.
Fort Smith restaurants Hopkins is accused of burglarizing:
- Anthony's
- Maria's
- La Mesa
- El Mariachi
Officials say more charges are possible and that the investigations are still ongoing.
"We want to thank the Oklahoma City Police Department for their assistance in capturing Mr. Hopkins. We would also like to thank our local businesses for their patience as these investigations progressed," FSPD said.
Police also urged local business owners to "continue vigilance by being mindful," offering the following suggestions:
- Do not leave money in cash registers overnight
- Make sure any alarm systems are set before you leave at closing time
- Lock and secure safes
- Ensure any interior and exterior security cameras are operational, and cloud-integrated so that videos are still retrievable regardless of any hardware damage that may occur to the cameras
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