In recent months, the Plano Police Department Burglary Unit has been actively investigating a series of vape store burglaries, primarily occurring in Frisco and Plano. The burglaries involved a common suspect vehicle, with 3-4 individuals breaking into businesses by shattering glass and making off with a significant amount of vape merchandise.
On December 3, 2023, at approximately 1:45 am, Frisco experienced another burglary at one of its vape stores. The information was promptly broadcasted to the Plano Police Department. Officer Hess and fellow officers on the night shift were already familiar with the suspect vehicle and the ongoing situation. In a collaborative effort, they began checking all vape stores in the area, actively searching for the suspect vehicle.
Officer Hess successfully spotted the suspect vehicle, prompting a quick attempt to stop it. However, the vehicle fled, leading Officer Hess to make the critical decision to pursue based on its association with multiple recent felonies. The pursuit ended when the suspect vehicle crashed, and three individuals fled on foot.
A swift response ensued as officers, with the assistance of the Carrolton Police Department’s K9 Unit and the DPS 101 helicopter, established a perimeter to locate the suspects. Shortly after, one suspect was apprehended, and the search continued for the remaining two.
With the collaborative efforts of the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) officers, a second suspect was located and arrested for evading detention by fleeing on foot from a police officer. Detectives assigned to the case later identified the third suspect, who was subsequently arrested for evading detention by fleeing in a vehicle.
While the investigation is still ongoing, the commendable knowledge and actions of Officer Hess, along with the cooperative efforts of 18 Plano officers, Carrolton PD’s K9 Unit, UTD officers, and the DPS 101 helicopter, played a pivotal role in apprehending these serial burglars.
