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December 27, 2012

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Idaho police use snow tracks to bust grinch

Police followed footprints in the snow for 25 blocks to apprehend a man who tried to burglarize more than 100 vehicles on Christmas Eve

By Ruth Brown
Idaho Falls Post Register

IDAHO FALLS — Police officers followed footprints in the snow for 25 blocks to apprehend an Idaho Falls man who reportedly tried to burglarize more than 100 vehicles on Christmas Eve.

Cade Thomas Dixon, 20, was arrested for burglary after a resident reported seeing a man trying to open car doors.

Police arrived on the 100 block of Tabor Avenue around 5:45 a.m. Officers noticed a trail of fresh footprints in the snow near a number of parked vehicles, Sgt. Phil Grimes said. The footprints were similar, Grimes said, suggesting the same pair of shoes were responsible for all of them.

Officers followed the trail down Tabor Avenue, Utley Circle, Tendoy Drive, John Adams Parkway and Syringa Drive before it ended at Dixon's residence on the 300 block of Holbrook Drive, Grimes said.

Dixon was at his residence, and officers interviewed him.

Grimes declined to comment on the brand of shoe Dixon was believed to have been wearing or whether he was still wearing them when police arrived.

When following the footprints, Grimes said, officers also looked for disturbed snow on the door handles of vehicles.

Most of the vehicles were locked, but at least two had items taken from them. A TomTom GPS, valued at $100, and an undisclosed amount cash were reported stolen. Some of the cash was recovered, Grimes said.

Following footprints is a common investigative technique, Grimes said, especially with fresh snow.

""For some reason, people don't seem to think anyone will notice the trail,"" he said.

At 7:23 a.m. Monday, Dixon was booked into the Bonneville County Jail, where he remained Wednesday. His bond is set at $15,000.

Burglary is punishable by one to 10 years in prison.