By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
A Yukon man faces up to 90 years in state prison for breaking into and damaging 10 storage units at a west Oklahoma City self-storage business.
The defendant also has been linked to break-ins at about 67 storage units in Yukon, court documents indicate.
Joseph Wayne Tucker, 36, was formally charged July 28 in Canadian County District Court with second-degree burglary (10 counts) and malicious injury to property (10 counts).
Prosecutors have charged Tucker for crimes that allegedly occurred July 18-19 at All Storage, 515 N Mustang Road.
Tucker broke into 10 storage units “by pulling the storage unit door from it hinges with the intent to steal,” court documents read.
In each instance, the defendant reportedly caused a loss valued at $1,000 or more.
Second-degree burglary is punishable by up to seven years in state prison. Malicious injury to property (over $1,000) is punishable by up to two years in prison and/or a maximum $1,000 fine.
The alleged victims live in Yukon, Mustang, El Reno, Oklahoma City, and Vermont.
Oklahoma City Police investigated the crimes reported at All Storage.
WAIT, THERE’S MUCH MORE
The Yukon Police Department recently investigated storage unit break-ins at two properties in Yukon city limits.
The YPD between June 19 and July 6 took several reports of burglary and damage to property cases at Devon Storage, 1777 W Vandament; and U-Storage, 801 E Main.
Det. Dave Carroll learned Tucker “was ripping the storage doors off the tracks from the bottom and then gaining entry into the units, resulting in an estimated $1,500 to $2,000 worth of damage to each storage unit door,” according to a probable cause affidavit.
Officers later found items that had been reported stolen at the defendant’s Main Street apartment and a Yukon-area motel room he was staying, the affidavit indicates. These include jewelry, wine bottles and coins.
Police allegedly confirmed Tucker’s identity after obtaining security video from one of the storage businesses vandalized.
Tucker was arrested and booked July 19 at the Canadian County Jail in El Reno. Bond is $92,000.
A preliminary hearing conference is set Aug. 12 before Special Judge Khristan K. Strubhar.
The defendant has a pending misdemeanor charge of larceny of merchandise from retailer in Canadian County District Court. He has previous bogus check convictions in Canadian and Oklahoma counties.
