Watertown man accused of sleeping in General Brown High School, stealing plow truck, crashing into store
WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) -- What officials have labeled the "Blizzard Burglary Blitz Bust" led to the arrest of a Watertown man, according to a press release from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office said that on December 27 at around 6:14 a.m., a deputy sheriff responded to an activated alarm at the Runnings store located on Pioneer Plaza Drive in Watertown.
Upon arrival, the deputy observed that an overhead door located on the building was damaged and an unoccupied pickup truck with a plow was parked near the door, the press release said. According to the press release, the deputy then initiated a search to locate the driver of the truck and located the suspect inside the Runnings store.
The Sheriff's Office identified the suspect as Sean M. Briggs, 35 of Watertown and said in the press release, when he was found, he was allegedly in the process of stealing $8.566.68 worth of firearms, hunting, trapping, camping and fishing gear from the Runnings store. A further investigation led by the Sheriff's Office accused Briggs of stealing the plow truck. which was determined to belong to General Brown High School in Brownville.
Authorities additionally accused Briggs of breaking into the school on December 25 after his own vehicle became stuck in a snowbank on State Route 12E. The Sheriff's Office alleged that Briggs lived in the school for two days, consumed foods from a concession stand, cooked in the Home Economics room and played basketball in the gymnasium.
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office detectives arrested Briggs on December 27 on the following charges:
- Two counts of third-degree burglary
- One count of third-degree grand larceny
- One count of third-degree attempted grand larceny
- Three counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief
- One count of third-degree criminal mischief
- Possession of burglar's tools
Briggs was arraigned in Jefferson County CAP Court on December 27 and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in the Town of Watertown Court on December 29.