The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office is asking for assistance in solving several residential burglaries throughout the unincorporated areas of the county.  These residential burglaries are occurring during daylight hours, when most people are at work or school typically between 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

There have been four burglaries in the past two weeks along Mission Road in Stilwell, KS, between 163rd and 215th Streets and one on State Line Road, in Cass County, Missouri.

In addition, four burglaries in an area of 215th Street from Spring Hill to Edgerton were reported and two residential burglaries have been reported just south of De Soto, KS in the past two weeks.

The sheriff’s office is seeking the public’s assistance by reporting any suspicious person, vehicle or occurrence they may have witnessed such as:

1. Vehicles that may be unfamiliar or parked in places they should not be like at the dead end of a street, in a neighbor’s driveway or behind a house.

2. Suspicious persons that come to the door and do not have professional identification and or vehicle.

3. Persons removing items from a neighbor’s house. 

A common trait among residential home burglary suspects is the suspect will knock on the front door of a residence to see if someone is home.  If the resident answers the door, the suspect will provide a story to explain their presence such as, “I am lost, which way to the Interstate”, or “I am looking for John Smith, he is supposed to live close by, can you give me directions” or “I am looking for a house to rent, a pasture to rent, scrap metal to clean up, etc.”  Generally, the suspect will leave if the residence is occupied.

If the residence is empty or the door is not answered the suspects force open a door and enter the residence. 

Anyone who has experienced anything suspicious in the past month or in the future should immediately contact law enforcement.  Any description is helpful, such as:  Vehicle description, license plate information, make, model, writing on the side of the vehicle, and color.  Also, suspect Information such as:  height, weight, hair color, race, sex, and what the suspect said, can assist law enforcement in the effort to solve burglary crimes.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division at 913-715-5560, go online to www.jocosheriff.org and click on Report a Crime or call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).