Crime

Columbus man faces 60 charges related to car break-ins dating back to 2018

A Columbus man is facing 60 charges related to car break-ins at city parks dating back to 2018, police said Friday.

Dominick Byrd, 37, was arrested Thursday after detectives tied him to the crimes though video surveillance, fingerprints and witnesses’ accounts, police said. His charges include entering autos, financial transaction card theft and financial transaction card fraud.

The break-ins were reported at Cooper Creek Park, Flat Rock Park and Britt David Park, Sgt. Jane Edenfield said.

Police said they’ve been trying for weeks to track Byrd down. Around 2:40 p.m. Thursday, Edenfield and Cpl. Christy Papay were at a residence Byrd was known to occupy. They saw his vehicle coming and followed it to the home where Byrd was arrested.

The suspect had a preliminary hearing Friday in Columbus Recorder’s Court, where Judge Julius Hunter found the evidence sufficient to send the case to Muscogee Superior Court.

Detectives said they so far have cleared 18 separate cases they believe involved Byrd, and they expect to clear more.

This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 2:34 PM.

Tim Chitwood
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Tim Chitwood is from Seale, Alabama, and started as a police beat reporter with the Ledger-Enquirer in 1982. He since has covered Columbus’ serial killings and other homicides, following some from the scene of the crime to trial verdicts and ensuing appeals. He also has been a Ledger-Enquirer humor columnist since 1987. He’s a graduate of Auburn University, and started out working for the weekly Phenix Citizen in Phenix City, Ala.
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