Wife, Cameras Copter and License Plate Readers Lead to Arrests of Two Accused Serial Burglars

Justin Wilson and Justin Aldrich don’t appear to know each other, though they’re jail-mates at the Flagler County jail this week following their arrests–and in Aldrich’s case, a third arrest in less than three weeks–on accusations of a series of burglaries and a violation of a pre-trial release conditions.

Wilson’s wife was key in his arrest, as were license plate readers, surveillance cameras and Flagler County’s Fire Flight helicopter.

Emily’s Design Studio and Padma Yoga on Utility Drive were both the targets of burglaries on July 15, with laptops and electrical equipment stolen from Emily’s after the rear door to the business was pried open.

Nearby surveillance footage showed a white man leaving the back of the business at 1:38 a.m. and carrying a red and black Husky bag that appeared full and a blue power tool case similar to one the business owner described as having been stolen. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office disseminated surveillance footage on its Facebook page and got word from the Ormond Beach Police Department that the man captured in the footage allegedly was Justin Wilson, 36, a Port Orange resident and a suspect in three burglaries–in Daytona Beach, Holly Hill and Ormond Beach.

Wilson’s method: prying into a business through a door, with a crow bar or a screw driver, an Ormond Beach detective told sheriff’s deputies.

The surveillance footage on Utility Drive shows the burglar checking doors to several businesses before disappearing from view and reappearing with a tool before prying open one of the doors. “After watching the surveillance footage,” Wilson’s arrest report states, “it appeared that the suspect in the video had a striking resemblance to Justin Wilson’s booking photo” sent from the Ormond Beach detective. It would soon match a photo sent by the Daytona Beach Police Department as well.

On July 18, the Flagler deputy contacted Wilson’s wife and showed her the surveillance video. She quickly identified him as her husband, commenting on “the specific way Justin walks in the video, mannerism with Justin’s hands (constantly placing them in his pockets), hairline and clothing that Justin was wearing.” His wife said she was “100 percent positive” it was her husband, and provided similarly positive identification for the Holly Hill, Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach cases.

A records check later indicated that Wilson had eight felony warrants out for his arrest out of Volusia County alone. Circuit Judge Terence Perkins in Flagler signed an additional warrant for Wilson’s arrest on three charges on Jan. 23.

The Flagler sheriff’s license plate readers and the county’s emergency helicopter then picked up the trail. On Wednesday, deputies got a location on Wilson’s maroon GMC truck, and with Fire Flight’s help, located it at an address on Sentry Oak Place, where Wilson was weed whacking. He was arrested at gunpoint and booked at the Flagler County jail on $16,500 bond. But since he’s also wanted on Volusia’s warrants, he may not bond out just yet.

Wilson’s was one of two arrests of suspected burglars in a 24-hour span. The other was that of Justin Aldrich, 41, who led deputies on a car and helicopter chase barely two weeks ago, when he was arrested for the second time in five days. Aldrich bonded out on July 31, but was charged with a violation of his pre-trial release conditions (unspecified in his arrest report. Deputies located Aldrich’s Dodge traveling on Belle Terre Parkway Wednesday in late morning, pulled him over and arrested him. The car was towed by John’s Towing. Aldrich remains at the county jail without bond. He, too, is wanted on warrants for burglaries in Volusia.