Police Trying To Clear Burglary Cases With Arrest

Yakima Police detectives are gathering evidence and clues that they hope will help them tie 28 year old Michael Stewart to as many as 20 Yakima burglaries. The man arrested last Thursday faces numerous burglary charges this week in County Superior Court. Police say he was out on bail on previous drug and stolen property charges when he was committing the latest spree of burglaries. Lt. Mike Merryman says this time he also faces a weapons charge because Stewart mistakingly left a backpack at one of the homes he was burglarizing last week before he was arrested. The backpack contained a handgun. Stewart is being held in the county jail as police work to find evidence to connect him to a string of Yakima burglaries.