Elijah Claypoole

A man connected to a series of car thefts in Butler was officially charged last week, and the list of items taken is pages long, according to city police documents.

Elijah Claypoole, 24, was arrested Feb. 8 after officers were able to identify him with the help of Butler County Probation using surveillance footage from one of the alleged victims.

On Feb. 14, Claypoole was charged with felony criminal trespass, and 24 misdemeanor counts of theft in connection to the thefts, which occurred over a period of two weeks.

According to documents, 11 car thefts were reported between Jan. 25 and Feb. 8. The list of items taken ranged from prescription drugs, a diamond ring, keys, gift cards, identification documents, an analog dashboard clock, phone chargers, sunglasses, rear view mirror decorations, pocket knives, and other items.

The thefts occurred on various streets in Butler including North McKean and North Monroe streets, police said.

On Feb. 1, police said a woman reported the burglary alarm at the Burger Hut restaurant on Main Street had gone off and the front door was found unlocked. Upon investigation, it was discovered nothing was taken.

Documents showed a set of keys which contained a key to the business had been stolen from a vehicle earlier that day.

The owner of the vehicle provided screenshots from surveillance footage of the theft, and police said they identified Claypoole removing items on the video.

Another woman reported to police she had surveillance footage of one of the thefts, which police and county probation officers used to identify Claypoole.

The key ring was later recovered from Claypoole’s residence, along with other items listed stolen in court documentation, police said. Not all of the stolen items were recovered, according to documents.

Claypoole’s preliminary hearing is scheduled Feb. 26, before District Judge William Fullerton.