Arrest in Burglaries

[Chris Santee]

VERMONT STATE POLICE PRESS RELEASE
 
Incident:  Multiple Burglary Cases
 
Case: 09A204398
 
Date of Incident:  Throughout the month of September
 
Locations:  Franklin County and possibly Addison County
 
Trooper:  John MacCallum
 
DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT
 
The Vermont State Police made an arrest, with more to follow, in a series of burglaries that occurred throughout Franklin County and possibly Addison County. 
 
Over the course of the last month, the communities within Franklin County began experiencing a high volume of burglaries.  These break-ins were investigated by both the Vermont State Police and the Franklin County Sheriff's Department.  The majority of victimized homes had been forcibly entered.  Furthermore, once inside these homes the offenders stole various items, to include:
  * Jewelry collections
  * Money
  * Electronic music devices
  * Laptops 
  * Watches
  * Hunting equipment
  * Antique/Collector Coins
 
While Vermont State Police (VSP) was conducting its investigation into these burglaries, VSP came into contact with a vehicle on September  18, 2009 that contained items that were believed to be stolen.  These items were seized by VSP and a victim from one of these burglaries later confirmed that the seized items were indeed theirs.  From this, VSP obtained a search warrant that was later conducted on September 21, 2009 at a residence in Fairfield, VT. 
 
During this search warrant, various stolen items were located and seized.  Later this same day, VSP conducted another search warrant at the Cadillac Motel, as VSP obtained information that the suspects were staying at the motel.  However, the suspects were not located and it wasn't until the following day, September 22, 2009, that VSP was able to speak with one of the suspects, Melissa Labounty, age 21, from Fairfield. 
 
This investigation has also shown that many of the items, to include coins and jewelry, were sold at a local pawn shop.  At this time, VSP is currently seeking two remaining suspects:
 
* Kyle Gagner, age 24, from the St. Albans area
* Shawn Gagnon, age 24, from the St. Albans area
 
Both males were already wanted for previous unrelated matters.  This case is still being investigated by VSP and continues to evolve.  VSP has successfully been able to identify seven burglaries to this investigation with more expected to follow.  The dollar amount associated to this investigation is expected to be in the tens of thousands of dollars, given the prices associated to the stolen property and the damage done to the victim's homes.     
 
VSP has also identified items from the search warrant in Fairfield that may link this investigation to a burglary that occurred in the Addison County area  as well. 
 
Anyone with information regarding this case or is knowledgeable as to the whereabouts of Kyle Gagner or Shawn Gagnon is asked to contact the Vermont State Police at (802) 524-5993. 
 

Melissa Labounty

Kyle Gagner
* PHOTO FOR GAGNON WAS UNAVAILABLE)

[Henry]

I added the photos for you Chris

[Kathleen]

Just out of curiosity ... were either of these the two people that David saw in the suspicious brown car the other day?

[dearon]

Fantastic news about the arrests.....looking at the lady arrested I wouldn't think she would be capable of this?  Looks like a bank teller or store employee, I guess you just never know.

[Suzy]

What would you have thought the thieves would have looked like?  It seems like everyone always says that about murderers..."they were the boy next door, they weren't capable of that kind of thing....Not my neighbor!"  We are taught at an early age that the "bad guys" don't look like us.  They don't have the same color skin, or talk like We do.  Take a look at the hyenas (bad guys) in Disney's Lion King.  They don't speak the King's English like the lions and other animals do.  I'm not being critical of what you're saying, I'm just trying to find out what the real problem is for these individuals, to make them do this sort of thing.  They are our neighbors, the girl next door....

Actually, they kind of look like they might have a drug problem, from looking at their eyes.  I"m no expert, and I don't know these people, but  I want to know more about them to know how they could have been helped in their life, so they wouldn't have to do this kind of activity, or feel that they need to to survive...for drugs, or attention...or material gain...for the hole where their hearts should be?

[cedarman]

Unfortunately, some people steal because they get some sort of kick of it - the thrill of avoiding getting caught or something.
I have a co-worker who used to be the manager of a large chain grocery store.  He has multiple stories about catching people stealing from his store.  He said it was rarely a matter of the person was absolutely desperate and need to feed his/her children.  He said in several cases, the person stole an item that was less than $5 and when he/she got caught, the thief offered in cash payment several times what the item was worth.  In one case, a guy offer $200 cash on the spot for an item that cost less than $10.

In most cases, the guilty individuals were taken away in cuff (the couple who were not arrested were taking cheap food items out of need - they were given a warning, and advised on help that is available, including some day old bakery items and some produce due to be discarded from the store)

[Chris Santee]

I've been doing some digging and found this............

   FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
   PRESS RELEASE

TYPE OF INCIDENT:   Wanted Person
OFFICER:         Desrochers
DATE OF INCIDENT:   October 7, 2005
TIME OF INCIDENT:        
LOCATION OF INCIDENT:   Swanton, VT

NAME:      Gagnon, Shawn
AGE:        20
ADDRESS:   St. Albans, VT


SUMMARY OF INCIDENT:

On October 7, 2005 I was on duty in the Town of Swanton,
VT. I was dispatched to assist Swanton Police and United
States Border Patrol with taking a wanted person into
custody. The subject was wanted by the United States
Marshals Service for violating conditions of release
stemming from a cocaine charge. The male was staying at
the Europa Motel in Swanton. The male was placed into
custody without incident.

[Chris Santee]

Seems to have a history of hiding in motels.

[Chris Santee]

Kyle Gagner is a 2006 graduate of Community High School of Vermont.

from them in 2006:

Welcome to the Community High School of Vermont.
This school has published an “Annual Report of Education Activities” each year for the last twenty years.
This is our twenty year anniversary edition.As you read this report you will see in pictures, numbers and stories a faculty dedicated to providing a high quality education program to youth and adults in need of a basic education.
The Community High School strives to be an education program with rigor and high expectations for all students.
Also, the faculty and administration of this school, within the Agency of Human Services, has integrated and is practicing the “Four
Key Practices of the Agency of Human Services”.
That is, we strive to provide;
Customer Service—which doesn’t stop at rules and regulations but extends to treating all individuals with respect and dignity.
Holistic Service—-means looking past a discrete individual need to the needs of the whole person in the context of their living, working and learning situations. Student Improvement based on Strength Based Relationships and asset building.
Results Orientated Programming—means more than how much we did and how well we did it, it’s about our student’s lives being better.
The Community High School engages in these practices and makes every effort to improve upon them knowing that they assist all of us, student, school and community alike. They assist us by assuring, in a positive manner, that all our students, regardless of age or circumstance, are treated with respect. That our students have access to, and can obtain, a genuine educational opportunity to complete their secondary education and to obtain meaningful employment skills in a highly personalized environment.
Applying the four practices, concurrent with providing quality educational instruction,

to a population of students who are presently under the care and custody of the Vermont Department of Corrections,

helps to assure that progress is made toward the following goals. That is;Institutional Safety - Residents of correctional facilities are engaged in pro-social activities aimed toward their successful reentry to our communities.Economic Development - More Vermonters obtain a basic education and job skills so as to contribute to the economic health of our state, communities and families.Public Safety - Vermonters with a good, basic education and active and meaningful employment are far less likely to engage in criminal activity.Family and Community Betterment - All Vermonters benefit from having communities families, and most importantly, parents that value the attainment of a quality education and job skills.

[DrewCrash]

Go VSP !! Good job !! Thank you !!

[Chris Santee]

***UPDATE***
 
Shawn Gagnon was arrested by VSP on September 23, 2009 and subsequently lodged at the Chittenden County Correctional Center.  However, Kyle Gagner, is still being sought for questioning in regards to this investigation and still has an active arrest warrant for a previous unrelated matter.

[special ED]

where is there a pawn shop in vermont?

[Chris Santee]

The amazing world wide web

http://www.pawnshoplistings.com/Vermont/

[special ED]

st jonhsbury thats a long way to pawn stolen stuff ,I just dont understand

[Stand Alone Defense]

Thank god!!!!!!! Good work VSP hopefully they won't be out of jail anytime soon!!!