On September 5th, 2015, at approximately 11:15pm, a LeClaire officer was conducting a routine business check at the Cody Storage buildings (2200 block of Trent Street). After spotting several items sitting outside various storage units, the officer noticed a vehicle parked suspiciously. As the officer approached the vehicle to run the license plate, a subject fled the scene on foot.
After another LeClaire officer arrived at the scene, they set up a perimeter around the area and requested assistance from the Scott County Sheriff's Office as well as a Scott County K-9 unit. The search for the subjects continued for several hours but officers were unable to locate anyone. The vehicle was towed to the LeClaire Police Department for processing.
Further investigation of the crime scene revealed that 22 storage units had been forcibly broken in to before the officer's arrival. Officers conducted an investigation over the next couple of days, including an execution of a search warrant of a residence. The investigation led to the recovery of numerous items believed to have been stolen from several of the storage units.
In the early hours of September 9th, 2015, LeClaire Police arrested two subjects in connection to these burglaries; Megan Lynne Vandyke (DOB 06/29/1984) of Charlotte, Iowa and Joshua Jon Deweerdt (DOB 06/21/1987) of rural Bettendorf, Iowa.
Both subjects were charged with 22 counts of Burglary 3rd Degree (Class D Felonies), 1 count of Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree (Class D Felony), 1 count of Theft 2nd Degree (Class D Felony).
Mr. Deweerdt also had four outstanding arrest warrants from the Davenport Police Department for Forgery x5, Theft 4th Degree and Theft 5th Degree. He also had one outstanding warrant from the Bettendorf Police Department for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Driving Under Suspension.
The investigation is ongoing with more arrests expected.
AN ARREST WITHOUT DISPOSITION IS NOT AN INDICATION OF GUILT.
