Camden has had 13 instances of commercial burglary which resulted in property damage and theft of cigarettes and vapes since May of 2024.
In May 2024, unknown suspects broke in through a back door of The Cellar Club and stole cigarettes and beer.
According to the incident report from Camden Police Department, the suspects "had not taken any money, but instead had stolen Marlboro Cigarettes, Marlboro Red Cigarettes, Marlboro Menthol Cigarettes, Newport Cigarettes, individual bottle of Bud Light beer, and several lighters."
In June, two instances of commercial burglary at Dollar General were reported to CPD. The first occurred at the Dollar General on California (June 23) and the second occurred at the Dollar General in the Cardinal Shopping Center (June 24) with each case, the theft of cigarettes were reported.
The incident on June 24 resulted in the arrest of one suspect, Tyrone Wyrick, 45, of Stephens who was charged with breaking and entering, criminal mischief, theft of property, 2 counts of commercial burglary and a parole violation.
According to the Ouachita County Sheriff's Office website, Wyrick was an inmate at the Ouachita County Detention Center from June 29, 2024 until Jan. 4, 2025.
Similar crimes have been reported in the city nearly every month in the second half of 2024, with the 5 such instances involving unknown suspects breaking into businesses and stealing cigarettes.
According to investigators at CPD the cigarettes stolen in these burglaries have been primarily Marlboro Red and Newport brands.
Instances of this type of burglary occurred at Westgate on July 22, Sept. 1 and Dec. 16; A to Z Mart on Sept. 29; Dollar General on California on Dec. 23; in each incident an unknown suspect broke into the business thorough the front door and stole cigarettes.
According to investigators, each break-in was committed when stores were closed and suspects were gone before police arrived on scene.
While security footage shows how the crimes occurred, no arrests have been made.
It is believed by investigators these crimes may have been committed by two separate individuals who are operating in a similar fashion. In each incident the suspect knows their way through the store and is able to enter and exit the premises in a matter of seconds.
Of the 13 incidents of commercial burglary five were committed by juveniles. Each of these cases involved the theft of vapes.
The first juvenile case occurred on Aug. 6 at a Littlefield Express and resulted in one arrest.
On Dec. 28 and 31, juveniles were reported stealing vapes from Camden Superstore (formerly Day & Night) and were caught on security footage.
On Jan. 5, 2025, four juveniles were taken into custody following another incident of a commercial burglary at Camden Superstore where vapes were stolen.
The most recent burglaries in which a juvenile is the primary suspect occurred at the Littlefield Express on Adams Jan. 1, 2025, where again the focus of the theft was on vapes.
A total of six individuals have been arrested in connection with the commercial burglaries of this type since May 2024.
Three additional cases of commercial burglary in Camden during the month of December, each occurring at storage companies.
Dec. 1 and 2 incidents of burglary at the A1 Storage were reported with another instance occurring at Snyder's Storage on Dec. 9.
No arrests have been made in connection with these incidents.
CPD has asked for anyone with any information about these crimes, or any others, to contact the Camden Police Department.
Investigators have said information can be given to police anonymously by phone or email.