Fraud/Identity Theft/Vehicle Burglary

On June 15th at around 5:10 p.m., police responded to 601 12th Street for report of a vehicle burglary. On arrival, police made contact with the victim who told police a window to her vehicle had been broken sometime in the previous two hours, with several items taken from the car. The case was forwarded to the RCPD Criminal Investigations Division for follow up. In the meantime, several other vehicle burglary reports have been taken from around Rapid City. Detectives followed up to review video at locations where purchases were made using credit cards stolen from these burglaries and identified the suspect as Christopher Berry of 42-year-old Phoenix, AZ. Shortly after 10:30 a.m. on June 18th, as police were participating in the Guns and Hoses Blood Drive, Berry was spotted walking through the mall. Police made contact with Barry in a nearby store as he was attempting to make a purchase with one of the stolen credit cards. He was placed under arrest, and a search of his vehicle turned up a plethora of items linking Berry to the various vehicle burglaries and identity theft crimes throughout Rapid City. As it sits, the RCPD has eight open burglary/identity theft cases involving Berry. At the time he was taken into custody, he was placed under arrest for a total of 28 offenses, 24 of which are felonies:

  • 4 counts of Aggravated Criminal Entry of a Motor Vehicle (F)
  • 2 counts of Grand Theft by Deception (F)
  • 1 count Grand Theft by Deception 5,000-100,000 (F)
  • 4 counts of Petty Theft (M)
  • 16 counts of Identity Theft (F)
  • 1 count of Possession of Burglary Tools (F)