Alleged 32nd Street business burglar arrested

Joplin Police have taken a man into custody in connection to several alleged burglaries along 32nd Street. Read the full press release below:

On March 3rd, 2023, at approximately 9:21 pm officers with the Joplin Police Department responded to a business alarm at Worden’s Meats at 1442 E. 32nd Street.

A suspect was observed fleeing the scene and entering a nearby storage building. It was learned the business had been burglarized, causing the alarm notification. Officers responded to the area, set up a perimeter and utilized a police K-9 to search for the suspect.

During a search of the area, officers located the suspect and were able to take him into custody without incident. He was identified as Clayton D. Burke, age 24 and is homeless.

Burke also had a stolen cash register from Worden’s Meats with him and was wearing the same clothing from surveillance cameras. During his arrest, Burke also had a Ziploc baggie containing Methamphetamine on him. Burke was arrest on charges of Burglary in the 2nd Degree, Property Damage in the 1st Degree, Stealing, Possession o a Controlled Substance, and Trespass in the 2nd Degree.

After further investigation, the Detective assigned to the incident was able to link Burke to three other recent Burglary and Theft related cases. These include Burglaries of Red Wing Shoes and a separate office location at 2914 E 32nd Street and a Theft from a Vehicle at the Flowers Foods at 2815 E. 32nd Street.

Additional charges are being sought related to those incidents.