PRESS RELEASE:
Kansas City Missouri Police property crimes detectives have recovered more than $150,000 worth of property from a major burglary ring and now need the victims to come forward to claim their belongings.
Anyone who believes they were a victim of these burglaries should call the Metro Patrol Division Property Crimes Section at 816-234-5525. They should be prepared to describe the objects that were stolen.
The burglary ring has been in operation over the past four months, mostly from Wornall to State Line roads, 55th to 85th streets. Two men, Thomas E. Simmons and Michael S. Dorch, have been charged with some of the burglaries, with more charges pending against them and other individuals. Detectives followed them for weeks, and on Saturday night, April 4, searched four homes: three in Kansas City and one in Lee’s Summit. All had stolen property associated with the burglary ring.
The burglars operated mostly at night. Detectives recovered a large amount of high-end jewelry, more than a dozen televisions, six computers and five stolen cars. They also recovered tools stolen from houses that were being renovated.
The burglary ring bust is largely the result of the work of the Metro Patrol Division Property Crimes Task Force. The task force started on December 7, 2008, to combat a growing burglary problem in Metro Patrol and other parts of the city. The task force takes six Metro Patrol officers – two from each of KCPD’s three shifts – and puts them on special assignment to partner with the Metro Property Crimes detectives for 28 days. Officers rotate their time on the task force, serving 28 days with property crime detectives and then going back out in the field.
