Accused storage unit burglar in Port St. Lucie linked to others in Martin County, police say
PORT ST. LUCIE − A man accused of breaking in to a self-storage business, and burglarizing nearly 20 storage units is behind bars after an investigation involving fingerprint and license plate reading technology, according to recently-obtained records.
Jimmy Ray Patterson, 52, of Melbourne, was booked in at the St. Lucie County Jail May 16 on 20 counts each of burglary of structure and criminal mischief $200 or less, and single counts each of burglary of a conveyance and third-degree grand theft following a Port St. Lucie Police investigation, records show.
The case began May 3 as an officer was sent to Ekonomy Self Storage in the 2700 block of Southwest Buckhardt Street in the St. Lucie West area.
Police determined a total of 19 storage units had locks cut off. A manager said the company conducts daily walkthroughs and inspections, and they discovered many lockers without their locks.
Investigators determined exterior cameras appeared to have been manipulated.
Police reviewed surveillance footage and said a man forced his way onto the property. He first was detected at 12:19 a.m. on a camera system, though he moved a number of cameras away from him. The man pulled 'an older model crew cab Dodge Ram with a lift, aftermarket rims and tires and a large light bar across the front windshield' inside. Police got a description of the man before he pushed the cameras up with a stick.
At 1:30 a.m. the truck left.
Sgt. Dominick Mesiti, police spokesperson, on May 20 said nothing of value was reported stolen from the storage units.
Police used license plate reader technology to search for vehicles matching the description and noted a dark truck at about 1:38 a.m. in the area of Southwest Gatlin Boulevard and Interstate 95 northbound.
Police were led to Patterson after researching the truck's tag and other photos and making comparisons.
Patterson has five felony convictions in Florida, according to records. He has been arrested in Seminole, Brevard, Pasco, Volusia and Martin counties, as well as in Tennessee and Texas, records state.
He was released from state prison in January 2025, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
Police found Patterson's fingerprint on a GMC Sierra at the Ekonomy Self Storage business.
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The GMC owner told police he doesn't know Patterson, and said a 12-inch speaker and an amplifier were taken from the vehicle.
In Martin County, Patterson previously was arrested in connection with July 2023 storage locker burglaries in Stuart and in Palm City. Those cases are continuing through the court system, according to police and court records.
Patterson was held May 20 in the St. Lucie County Jail on $120,000 bond, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office.
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Here's how police solved more than 15 burglaries in Port St. Lucie
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