Virginia man arrested in Effingham, accused of business burglaries, lighting car on fire
EFFINGHAM, Ill. (WCIA) — A man from Virginia is facing arson and burglary charges in Effingham after police said he went on a crime spree Tuesday night that included damaging a bank ATM, breaking into a tire store and lighting a car on fire.
The crime spree happened Tuesday night around 10 p.m. Officials from the Effingham Police Department said in a news release that officers first responded to reports of a man damaging property at Land of Lincoln Credit Union on Thelma Keller Boulevard. While en route, the officers were then informed that the suspect had also forcibly entered Al's Tire Mart after breaking its glass door.
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The officers arrived on-scene within one minute of the call, officials said. When they got there, the officers spotted Patrick Galyen, 38 of Fredericksburg, Virginia, fleeing from Al's on foot. After a brief foot pursuit, Galyen was taken into custody.
Officials said the arresting officers recovered property stolen from Al's as they arrested Galyen. Subsequent investigation also found damage to the credit union's ATM and also tied Galyen to a car fire in the nearby Walmart parking lot.
'We believe this was an isolated incident,' Lieutenant Detective Tom Webb said in the release. 'The suspect's actions appear to have been random, and the affected businesses were likely targeted based on location rather than any specific intent. The investigation remains active.'
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Galyen was booked into the Effingham County Jail on charges of arson, burglary, criminal damage to property and resisting/obstructing a peace officer. He is currently being detained while the Effingham County State's Attorney reviews the charges.
He is scheduled to make an initial appearance in court on Thursday to determine whether he will be detained or released under the Pre-Trial Fairness Act.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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