University Police yesterday arrested an Upper Marlboro man suspected of committing multiple on-campus thefts after having a warrant out for his arrest since last week.
The warrant for the arrest of Wendell Reginald Hackley, 40, was issued last Thursday after police linked him to a July 17 incident in which the window of a car parked in Lot 11B was broken and a mobile GPS was stolen, University Police Spokesman Paul Dillon said.
Police found Hackley Wednesday in Lot 11 and arrested him on charges of theft and malicious destruction of property relating to the crime. Hackley was not committing a crime when arrested.
Dillon said Hackley was identified as a suspect in the theft when the GPS unit was traced to a Landover pawn shop, but declined to provide more details.
Dillon said police also believe Hackley broke into several other vehicles on the campus between July 17 and 24 to steal various electronic equipment, including another GPS unit, an iPod and a satellite radio receiver.
“We expect to link him to other crimes on campus,” Dillon said, adding that Hackley has yet to be charged for any of those crimes.
Prince George’s County police also consider Hackley “a person of interest” in numerous area crimes, and have matched his description and modus operandi with several thefts from cars and burglaries in the area, said Mjr. Kevin Davis, commander of District 1.
“I strongly suspect that we’ll be able to tie him to several property crimes in District 1,” Davis said, though no charges have been made yet.
According to state court records, Hackley previously lived in College Park only blocks from the university, and since 1990 has been found guilty of assault and battery, harassment and stalking. He has also been charged in the past with numerous counts of burglary and theft.
Contact reporter Brady Holt at holtdbk@gmail.com.
