Police in the South Bay say they've caught up with a serial burglar after he allegedly ransacked at least half a dozen businesses in Campbell.
Video captured the moment Bagel Bar was broken into Monday night. It shows the suspect, Jonny Miles, using a crowbar to enter the business and grab the mostly-empty cash register off the counter before walking out the front door as the alarm was sounding off.
Amy Elrite is the owner and said her shop was one of five in the neighborhood that were broken into that night.
“Jumped in the car immediately, of course, and came over and the burglar was gone and police had already been here,” said Elrite.
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Campbell police quickly caught up with Miles and said he was arrested for six burglaries.
They also say earlier in the month, he was arrested for another 10 burglaries in Campbell and San Jose.
Miles was also charged with 31 counts of burglary and convicted back in 2020, but was released at the beginning of this year.
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The owners of the businesses affected said that with a record like that, they don't understand why he's on the streets at all.
“That’s extremely frustrating,” said Elrite. “I feel like police are catching him but there’s something broken where he’s being released.”
Police say they’re doing what they can when it comes to catching repeat offenders, but it's up to the courts to decide how long they'll stay in jail.
“We are working closely with the DA's office, who has partnered with us to try and prevent this person from just getting out and committing these crimes again. However, the criminal justice system is more than just the police department and the DA’s office,” said Ian White of the Campbell Police Department.
Legal Analyst Steven Clark says there are a few reasons why courts are now releasing more people before their trials.
Jails are overcrowded, and Prop 47 turned some crimes to misdemeanors with so-called zero-dollar bail.
But he also said that if prosecutors are persistent, career criminals can eventually be kept behind bars.
“That’s why it’s important for the district attorney and the police to bring information to the court about these repeat offenders so that they can be kept in custody, even for property crimes,” said Clark.
And that may be the case this time. Jail records show Miles is due in court Thursday and he’s now being held on $300,000 bail.
