Suspect may link to 10 crimes at UNM

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - For months a wandering thief has been targeting staff and students at the University of New Mexico stealing everything from expensive books to fancy calculators.

Now UNM police think they've got him.

Police allege that man is Ledonta Jenkins, 32, arrested Wednesday on three felony counts of burglary.  Police say that is just the beginning.

“We are still in the investigative stage,” says Lt. Robert Haarhues. “We know that there are more victims out there, and we'll work through the police reports and try to identify more victims and tie them to that case.”

UNM police requested photos of Jenkins' face not be broadcast or published until they can show his picture to other potential victims.

“A lot of faculty had seen him in their offices and connected him to the theft of their property,” Haarhues adds.

Police aren't sure who took action on their own, but concern was high enough that someone posted fliers in the Electrical and Computer Engineering building three weeks ago with a photo from surveillance video.

That led someone to call police about Jenkins a week later.

Police found him carrying a German dictionary in his hand and many more books in his backpack.

Jenkins told police he is not a UNM student.

He appeared Thursday before Metropolitan Court Judge Yvette Gonzales who set bail at $10,000.

Haarhues is taking this as an opportunity to remind students to watch their stuff.

“Secure your property as best you can. Lock your doors. Don't leave anything unattended," he warns.

UNM police say they've been working with UNM faculty and staff to cut down the hours campus buildings are open to the public in the hope of better preventing thefts.