A 32-year-old Mattoon man is charged with seven felonies including six counts of burglary in connected to a crime spree that spans several Wisconsin counties. James M. Paul was arrested on February 1. Investigators continue to look for his female accomplice.
Paul appeared in Langlade County Circuit Court Thursday. He's being held on a $7,000 cash bond. Paul is charged with burglarizing five taverns and attempting to burglarize another in Langlade County.
Investigators believe they can link Paul and his female accomplice to burglaries and attempted break-ins in as many as 15 central Wisconsin counties.
They include Oneida, Marathon, Shawano, Rusk, Taylor, Portage, Dunn, Wood and Lincoln counties and possibly Chippewa and Outagamie County.
Paul and the woman are accused of breaking into taverns throughout the area over the last few months, where they stole mostly cash and cigarettes.
The duo was able to evade arrest up until now, because they weren't targeting any one specific area.
"Because they're mobile and they're not confining themselves to one geographical area, it makes it difficult. It always takes a while for law enforcement to link crimes", said Langlade County Sheriff Bill Greening.
Sheriff's deputies served search warrants at two different Shawano County properties on Wednesday.
They found cash, cigarettes, hats, gloves and what appeared to be burglary tools. That's when Paul was arrested.
Sheriff Greening says, investigators from several counties will be interviewing Paul over the next few days.
Newschannel 7 is told investigators know who Paul's female accomplice is, but they haven't been able to find her.
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Burglary Ring
