Officer Kristi Mitchell

Public Information Officer

903-798-3187 (office) 903-260-0294 (pager)

903-824-4199 (cell) 903-798-3023 (fax)

Texarkana Arkansas Police Badge

Re: Large Burglary Ring Broken

During the month of September, 2008 Texarkana Arkansas Police Detectives Alan Fincher and Jeff Gladden, along with Crime Scene Detectives Marc Sillivan and Shawna Yonts began investigating a number of commercial burglaries that appeared to be committed by the same suspect. A total of 16 burglaries were reported in Texarkana Arkansas. All of the burglaries shared common methods of entry and operation, along with evidence left behind at each scene.

The following is a list of the reported burglarized businesses:

  • 09/02/08 Ogden United Methodist Church 1524 Laurel Street
  • 09/19/08 Seventh Day Baptist Church 2724 County Avenue
  • 09/19/08 County Avenue Baptist Church 3604 County Avenue
  • 09/25/08 Kid’s Castle Day Care 2400 Grand Avenue
  • 09/25/08 Little Christian Day Care 2016 North State Line Avenue
  • 09/25/08 The Cobbler Shoppe 2122 North State Line Avenue
  • 09/25/08 Spices Unlimited 2118 North State Line Avenue
  • 09/25/08 A Shear Change Salon 2110 North State Line Avenue
  • 09/25/08 Cross Construction 2116 North State Line Avenue
  • 09/25/08 Apostolic Tabernacle 2800 Jefferson Avenue
  • 09/25/08 First Congregational Methodist Church 2802 Jefferson Avenue
  • 09/27/08 Opportunities Inc 606 East 44th Street
  • 09/30/08 Michael Wharton-Palmer Dentistry Office 1702 Arkansas Blvd.
  • 09/30/08 Jet Concrete 1600 Arkansas Blvd.
  • 09/30/08 Hospice of Texarkana 3605 Jefferson Avenue
  • 10/03/08 Cargile House 2300 North State Line Avenue

    • Texarkana Arkansas Criminal Investigation Division has spent 165 man hours to establish a suspect using evidence and video surveillance collected from each crime scene. From that investigation, Detectives identified the suspect as Kevin Laderrick Ellison, B/M 33yoa, of Texarkana. An arrest warrant for 15 counts of commercial burglary was issued by District Court Judge Jim Hudson on Thursday, Oct 2nd. Commercial Burglary is a Class C felony punishable from 3 to 30 years in prison per count. Acting on information learned by detectives while searching for the suspect late Thursday night, Texarkana Arkansas Detectives located Ellison early Friday morning in the 600 block of Blanton Street, in Texarkana Texas, where he was then arrested.

    Ellison is currently on probation through Bowie County for the 2005 conviction of Burglary of a Habitation. In addition, Ellison holds convictions for resisting and evading arrest (2007), possession of a controlled substance (2005), and criminal impersonation (1998).

    Texarkana Arkansas Chief of Police, Robert Harrison commended the intense effort of all officers involved. They worked non-stop in investigating and compiling information in all cases, which led to a very quick arrest of a criminal that was on a “crime spree”.

    Harrison stated that these are the kinds of criminals who become a nightmare for law enforcement authorities. They are paroled or put on probation over and over with early release because the prisons are too full. This is done because there is simply no room in prisons and jails. For many criminals, they are again arrested, released on bond, and back in the community while awaiting trial. During this time, many of them go back to what they do best, commit the same crimes again.

    Harrison further states, “If we could utilize the tax payer funding used for this “revolving door” to build more prison facilities to house those that have chosen a life of crime, we would become a safer society.”

    Anyone with information regarding this or any other crime is encouraged to notify TAPD or Texarkana area CrimeStoppers at 903-793-STOP.

    Thank you and you can visit the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department online at http://www.txkusa.org/arkpolice.