Austin man pleads guilty to rash of burglaries

Published 7:14 am Friday, March 12, 2010

As part of a plea agreement, an Austin man once facing 23 criminal counts — including 19 felonies — for a rash of burglaries last fall will instead be sentenced on seven counts.

Arsenio Broderick Hanson, 20, entered seven guilty pleas Thursday in Mower County court stemming from seven separate incidents that occurred between mid- and late-September. He will be sentenced April 16.

Hanson was arrested Sept. 30 during an attempted burglary. According to court records, a 15-year-old male accomplice arrested with Hanson that night may have helped in all the cases, but charges against the juvenile aren’t open to the public because he’s under 16.

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The crime spree began as early as Sept. 19, when Hanson stole a number of tools from a garage on the 500 block of 11th Street Southwest.

The male homeowner, 44, reported the incident to police on Oct. 2.

Another home on the 600 block of Eighth Avenue Southwest was broken into Sept. 23 and again on Sept. 26, according to a complaint.

Hanson broke in by cutting through a kitchen window both times. He then stole a TV, a Web cam, a number of DVDs, cash and a few bottles of liquor in the course of the two burglaries. In all, roughly $5,500 of property was taken from the residence, the complaint states.

Between Sept. 25 and 27, Hanson struck again, stealing five 12-gague shotguns, other weapons and jewelry from a home on the 600 block of 11th Avenue Southwest.

The 62-year-old male homeowner said the burglar entered through a cut screen window while he was out of town for a few days.

On Sept. 26, the burglaries continued, with a man reporting that two bikes had been stolen out of his garage on the 700 block of Fifth Avenue Northwest.

When Hanson and the young male were arrested a few days later in the 700 block of Eighth Avenue Southwest, those bikes were found outside.

Hanson was also charged with stealing items off a porch on the 400 block of 11th Street Northwest and from two garages near the house where he was arrested.

According to court documents, a number of stolen items were recovered at a residence.

This included jewelry, ammunition, two guns, 63 DVDs and a police scanner.

The woman at the home said Hanson and the 15-year-old were “getting money” by selling guns. She said Hanson gave her the jewelry and the boy gave her the guns to store, according to a complaint.

The woman also said Hanson used the police scanner while he was “out,” a complaint states.

Several other items reported stolen were recovered at another home. According to a complaint, Hanson admitted that he had been living there.