Hays Post
Tips from the community helped the Hays Police Department make a pair of burglary arrests this weekend.
HPD Chief Don Scheibler said an arrest was made Friday afternoon after the investigation of Tuesday’s home burglary in the 2700 block of Thunderbird Drive.
Scheibler said Isaiah Tai Simpson, 20, Hays, was arrested Friday afternoon on suspicion of aggravated burglary and theft. Simpson is accused of entering the home while the family was present and stealing $120 in cash from a purse and approximately $370 in rolled coins.
The fact that the family was inside the home at the time of the alleged crime was the aggravating factor, Scheibler said, and also the reason “this was a priority for us to bring some closure to this.”
The arrest was the result of “good police work by Investigator Joshua Burkholder and, more importantly, a tip from the community that definitely helped bring all the pieces together,” Scheibler said.
“We’re grateful for the cooperation of the community, the Fort Hays Police Department working together to help locate this person,” he added, noting that Simpson is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Another tip led to the arrest of a 23-year-old Hays man accused of a business burglary.
Scheibler said a 911 caller reported that at about 2:50 a.m. Saturday they had seen someone attempting to enter Five Star Auto Repair & Towing, 1017 E. 13th.
Officers arrived on scene and established a perimeter, and the suspect — Dylan James Kersley — broke out the front window of the business, jumped out and attempted to flee, Scheibler said.
Officers Samantha Nielsen and Scott Heimann engaged the suspect in a short foot pursuit before apprehending Kersley, who was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft, criminal damage to property and interference with a law enforcement official. Approximately $300 was recovered, Scheibler said.
The Ellis County Sheriff’s Department and Fort Hays State University Police Department also assisted in the investigation. Kersley is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, Scheibler said.
With a rash of vehicle burglaries in recent weeks, Scheibler urged the community to keep reporting suspicious behavior.
“Any information people have, we encourage them to call us and let us know,” he said. “This is how we solve these. … That’s how we were successful in both of these cases.”
And, since nearly all of the reported burglaries involved unlocked vehicles, “continue to lock your doors,” Scheibler said.