Teen denies burglarizing body shop owned by man who mentored him

A 19-year-old boy who business owner Chester Jackson mentored for about five years three times burglarized his auto body shop within the last month, according to testimony Tuesday morning in Recorder’s Court.

Malik Leron Warner pleaded not guilty to three counts of second-degree burglary. He was ordered held in the Muscogee County Jail under bonds totaling $20,000, and his case was bound over to Superior Court.

Columbus police said the East Coast Body Shop at 923-A Farr Road was burglarized once in April and twice in early May.

An unknown amount of money was stolen from the business on April 23 around 12:30 p.m. and $400 was taken from the shop the following day around 7:13 p.m., police testified.

On May 6 around 11 p.m., the thief returned to the business and stole an undetermined amount of money and caused $500 worth of damage to its front door, Officer Michael Lincoln testified.

Jackson is the founder of a bike drive that has restored more than 3,500 bicycles donated to less fortunate kids since 2011. He planned to use the money that was stolen to purchase bike parts as well as snacks for the students that help him at the shop after school.

After watching the surveillance footage of the incidents, police said Jackson identified Warner, someone he mentored for years, as the person responsible for all three thefts. Police then obtained arrest warrants for the defendant.

“What hurts more than anything is that I have mentored this young man for years,” Jackson said. “For him to steal from me and other kids in his community, (it) makes me think what I have done is in vain.”

In court, Warner denied involvement in the burglaries.

“Every weekend that I go to that side of town, I don’t even go to his shop,” Warner testified. “I go to my girlfriend’s house. The last time I stepped foot on Mr. Jackson’s campus, he was actually there.”

April wasn’t the first time the East Coast Body Shop was burglarized.

The first year Jackson ran the bike drive, 140 bikes were snatched during the night hours. In September 2014, 14 bikes were taken from behind a locked wooden fence on the property.

The business was broken into at least three times in 2015, and a total of 29 bikes were stolen during two of those incidents. The NBC Today Show honored Jackson for his good will by donating 50 bicycles to his cause and showcasing him on a live segment of the show.

Despite the multiple break-ins, Jackson remains dedicated to helping young people reach their full potential. He continues to offer them love and guidance when they stop by his shop after school to work.

“Sometimes, all a child has is you,” Jackson said. “When you’re out of the child’s life, they have nothing. But as far as the child himself, he’s still a good kid. There’s still hope.”

This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 4:47 PM with the headline "Teen denies burglarizing body shop owned by man who mentored him."