Police say new database helped solve burglary case

Police say new database helped solve burglary case

Posted on Saturday, July 29, 2006

Fayetteville police arrested a man responsible for a local burglary and theft thanks to LEADS — a new automated database system used to track pawn transactions.

Demetric D. Blanchett, 27, of 3131 Preservation in Fayetteville faces felony charges of residential burglary and theft.

According to police, Blanchett took a stolen computer to a local retailer to have it repaired. While working on the computer, the retailer reportedly discovered the name of the real owner and reported it to police. While searching the LEADS database, police discovered that Blanchett was not the owner of the computer. He was arrested and taken to the Washington County Jail. He is currently being held in the Washington County Jail on a $ 2,500 bond and was scheduled to make his first court appearance on Friday.

According to Lt. Mike Reynolds, LEADS — which stands for Law Enforcement Automated Database System — is an online system used to identify, record and recover stolen property. It describes itself as “the nation’s largest Web-based system used by law enforcement to investigate crimes involving property — from burglary / theft to narcotics and homicide.”

The Internet search system helps police investigations, saves the department time, increases efficiency, serves as a deterrent for criminal activity as it becomes known, and helps the pawn brokers, Reynolds said.