A Tongan man in Saratoga Springs, Utah, has been charged with 25 counts of burglary in connection with a string of vehicle break-ins that occurred in Provo and Eagle Mountain last month.
Mosiah Vae Taumoepeau, 20, was arrested after he was found with stolen property from the break-ins, including Apple Airpods, credit cards, gift cards, and $1,000.
He reportedly admitted to deputies that he had burglarized over 10 vehicles and “lost track of time because there were so many.”
Taumoepeau was being held in Utah County Jail without bail.
Utah news media reported that Taumoepeau told deputies he was “just walking around with no real direction,” according to court documents. When asked for identification, he reportedly handed a deputy a phone and wallet that did not belong to him. He was then handcuffed and detained, according to court documents.
After being read his Miranda rights, Taumoepeau told deputies he was in the Ridley’s parking lot “hitting glass,” according to the affidavit. Deputies asked what he meant and he reportedly said “car burglaries.”
Taumoepeau told deputies his intent was not to break into vehicles — that he was going for a walk and decided to start breaking in when he arrived in the parking lot, according to the probable cause statement. He broke into “approximately” seven vehicles, according to court documents.
Taumoepeau is facing 25 charges, including:
- Two counts of attempted burglary of a vehicle, a class B misdemeanor
- Manufacture/possession of burglary tools, a class B misdemeanor
- 12 counts of burglary of a vehicle, a class A misdemeanor
- Two counts of theft of a value less than $500, a class B misdemeanor
- Five counts of unlawful acquire/posses/transfer of financial card, a third degree felony
- Unlawful possession of ID, a third degree felony
- Property damage/destruction of less than $500, a class B misdemeanor
- Theft of less than $500, a class B misdemeanor
