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Police / Police News / Southampton Press / 2074405

Police Seek Public's Help Identifying Burglar

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Security cameras at Life Storage on Mariner Drive in Southampton captured an image of the thief who stole $20,000 worth of items from the facility earlier this month. COURTESY CRIME STOPPERS

Security cameras at Life Storage on Mariner Drive in Southampton captured an image of the thief who stole $20,000 worth of items from the facility earlier this month. COURTESY CRIME STOPPERS

This statue was among items stolen from Life Storage on Mariner Drive in Southampton earlier this month. COURTESY CRIME STOPPERS

This statue was among items stolen from Life Storage on Mariner Drive in Southampton earlier this month. COURTESY CRIME STOPPERS

Police say the thief who burglarized Life Storage on Mariner Drive in Southampton fled the scene in a dark SUV. COURTESY CRIME STOPPERS

Police say the thief who burglarized Life Storage on Mariner Drive in Southampton fled the scene in a dark SUV. COURTESY CRIME STOPPERS

Kitty Merrill on Jan 30, 2023

Two hand-carved stone statues, plus an assortment of tools, with a combined value of $20,000 were stolen from the Life Storage facility on Mariner Drive in Southampton on New Year’s Day.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Southampton Town Police are asking the public’s help in identifying the culprit, who actually visited the site twice, according to Town Police Chief James Kiernan.

According to the chief, the culprit, whose masked image was captured on security cameras, hopped the fence surrounding the facility, then cut open storage units “until he found something he liked,” Kiernan said. Then, because the fence would open for people leaving the site, he just loaded the items into a dark-colored SUV. Cameras caught a shot of the vehicle, too.

The New Year’s Day incursion occurred between 10 p.m. and midnight. A second, more recent visit took place between 2 and 3 a.m. on January 28, the chief said. Nothing was taken that time.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Submit an anonymous tip to the agency by calling 1-800-220- TIPS, texting SCPD and your message to CRIMES or emailing p3tips.com. All calls, emails, and texts are kept confidential, police said.

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