DA: 4 burglars can expect lengthy state prison sentences

Police believe group was responsible for 32 burglaries

Police agencies in three counties worked together to arrest Jonathan Banks, top left; Isaiah Bonk, top right; Jasper Lloyd, bottom, left; Thomas Shingleton, bottom right.

ALBION – Police from multiple agencies in three counties believe they have arrested the people responsible for 32 burglaries in August and September, a rash of break-ins in Albion, Medina, Oakfield and Lockport.

The four are all in jail and Orleans County District Attorney Joe Cardone said they will face long prison sentences.

One of the suspected burglars, Jonathan Banks, 21, of Medina, was arrested by Lockport police in September. After his arrest, there weren’t additional burglaries, police officials said.

Police officers continued to work on the cases and had a break through last week when Medina police arrested Isaiah Bonk, 20, of Medina. He was arrested following a foot chase. He gave information to police that led the arrests of two others who were part of the crimes.

Albion Police Chief Roland Nenni said the four were persons of interest in the crimes before their arrests. Police from Albion, Medina Lockport and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department were in daily communication, sharing information and gathering evidence.

“Criminals don’t follow jurisdictional lines and neither do we,” Nenni said at a news conference at the Village Hall. “We became one big sheriff’s department or police department.”

The following were arrested:

Jonathan Banks, 21, of 4886 South Townline Rd., Medina, faces 10 counts of second-degree burglary, one count of attempted burglary and attempted robbery in the second degree, six counts of grand larceny, seven counts of petit larceny, three counts of attempted petit larceny, and four counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief.

He is held in Niagara County Jail on $160,000 bail.

Banks was involved in a high-profile crime in May when he took a 12-year-old girl from Albion overnight to Buffalo. The girl was subject to a missing persons report. Banks was charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Law enforcement officials gathered at 11 a.m. today at Albion Village Hall to discuss the arrests of four people in a rash of break-ins in August and September. The group includes, from left: Lockport detective Kevin Schrader, Orleans County DA Joe Cardone, Lockport Police Chief Larry Eggert, Albion Police Chief Ronald Nenni (at podium), Medina Police Chief Jose Avila and William Sheron, undersheriff at Genesee County Sheriff’s Department.

Isaiah Bonk, of 531 East Center St., Medina, faces nine counts of second-degree burglary, one count of attempted burglary in the second-degree, six counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, seven counts of petit larceny, three counts of attempted petit larceny, and four counts of criminal mischief in the fourth degree.

He is held in Orleans County Jail on $50,000 bail.

 Jasper Lloyd, 20, of 107 East Bank St., Albion, was charged with two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, two counts of grand larceny and one count of criminal mischief in the fourth degree.

He is in Orleans County Jail on $50,000 bail.

Thomas Shingleton, 36, of 177 Bates Rd., Medina, has been charged with one count of attempted burglary in the second degree and one count of attempted petit larceny. He is in Orleans County Jail on $20,000 bail.

The four worked together in the crimes, but not necessarily all four at each location, Nenni said. With some of the break-ins, one or two of the burglars may have been at the scene. They sometimes provided each other with rides after the burglaries, Nenni said.

Albion had 20 break-ins. There were five in Medina, three in Lockport and four in Oakfield.

The burglars tended to hit multiple locations each night. They would go through unlocked doors or cut out screens in windows to gain access.

“It was alarming to the victims to have people come into their house,” Nenni said.

One of the victims from Albion attended the news conference. He said the burglary in August traumatized his young son, who wouldn’t sleep the rest of the summer unless a parent was by him.

The family used to keep its windows open in the summer to let in a breeze. After the crime, their windows were locked tight.

“You never expect someone to come through the screens,” the victim said.

Nenni said the burglars took cash, credit cards and electronics. The credit cards were never used after being stolen. Some of the electronics were sold. Nenni estimated the burglars took about $20,000 all together in cash and electronics.

There was also about a $20,000 cost to taxpayers for the officer overtime on the case, he said.

Nenni and the police leaders said the investigation is continuing.