KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Friday morning, Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced charges against two suspects in a burglary ring responsible for over 100 break-ins in Kansas City.
Late Friday afternoon, Johnson revealed that charges had been filed against one more suspect, meaning five out of six suspects had been charged.
Two of the suspects faced previous charges.
“I want mainly our business owners to know that they are supported, that we have their backs,” Johnson said.
Johnson credited her office’s new Crime Strategies Unit for the advancement of these cases.
“I’m just very, very proud of our team,” Johnson said. “I know we have a lot more work to do, but I feel good about the direction we are heading in, especially as it pertains to property crime in Jackson County.”
Court documents reveal a lengthy investigation involving months of police work to tackle the challenge of property crimes.
“This investigation spanned over a year, and it involved numerous locations, numerous warrants, cell phone tower dumps, etc., even involved the state of Colorado, so it crossed state lines,” Johnson said. “Solving property crimes is not easy. Especially in 2025. We have things like ski masks, gloves, usually these things happen in the cover of darkness in the middle of the night.”
According to these documents, the suspects were found to have engaged in a series of burglaries with recurring patterns: they repeatedly wore the same clothing, drove the same vehicles, and consistently had their phones with them.
Johnson says detectives faced significant obstacles—including the use of ski masks and the timing of the crimes—which made it difficult to identify suspects.
These efforts eventually resulted in the arrests of two suspects Thursday.
Court documents reveal how crucial surveillance footage was, with one suspect reportedly posting photos on social media while wearing the same clothing observed in crime scene footage.
Law enforcement also paired phone records and cell tower signals with the suspected burglars' live movements, which added layers of evidence to build their case.
The investigation revealed that the suspects were involved in the theft of various items, such as handguns, liquor, marijuana, cash, safes and vape pens.
The lead suspect was also linked to a related burglary just outside Denver.
Johnson also stressed the importance of community involvement in combating crime.
“We are watching,” Johnson said. “We are collaborating, we are working, and we are going to hold you accountable.”
Johnson encouraged community members and business owners to be vigilant and proactive in reporting crimes, regardless of long wait times for 9-1-1.
“If our community wants us to keep getting aggressive and innovative in our approach, we need their help, and that help starts with calling the police every time,” she said. “We cannot prosecute a case that we don’t have any evidence on. And we cannot collect evidence on an incident that was not engaged with the police department.”
Johnson said the case is ongoing as her office works alongside the police department to ensure all six suspects are charged.
—
KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
