Hunter
09/20/21
An area transient who allegedly stole a vehicle and burglarized others has been arrested.
Police say that they took a report of a stolen Chevy Cruze on April 28th. After getting video of 32-year-old Dustin Martin with the vehicle, he was developed as a suspect, but a positive ID couldn’t be determined as he was wearing a mask.
A later surveillance video allegedly showed Martin committing a vehicle burglary in the 600 block of South Dubuque Street. It shows Martin driving the stolen Chevy into the parking ramp with a disposable mask covering the front license plate. He then reportedly burglarized a vehicle, removed speakers and put them in the stolen car.
The vehicle was recovered in Coralville on May 9th. The vehicle had plates that didn’t belong to it, and police contacted the owner of the plates, who said that they were stolen and replaced with the plates that were originally on the stolen vehicle.
Martin was allegedly burglarizing vehicles in the 200 block of East Court Street May 10th when officers found him. He reportedly had a key to the stolen Cruze in Martin’s pocket.
Warrants were issued for Martin’s arrest, and he was taken into custody Saturday afternoon. He’s been charged with 1st degree Theft and 5th degree Theft. He could be sentenced to over ten years in prison if he’s convicted.