Investigators use GPS to capture burglary suspect
JANESVILLE — A Beloit man whom detectives tracked with a GPS device faces more than 35 years in prison if convicted on burglary and related charges.
Timothy L. Garland, 31, of 937 1/2 Bluff St., Beloit, appeared in court Friday.
Assistant District Attorney Anne Nack called Garland “a chronic burglar” with felonies on his record and asked for a cash bond.
“This is definitely going to be a prison case, which does increase the risk of flight,” Knack said.
Court Commissioner Stephen Meyer imposed cash bond of $6,150.
Garland, who already was jailed on suspicion of probation violation, did not object to the bond amount.
Sheriff’s deputies suspected Garland of burglaries in the 7500 block of East Highway 67 and on Utah Trail southeast of Janesville. They obtained a warrant to track him, court documents indicate.
Investigators placed a GPS tracker on Garland’s car Nov. 2 at Blackhawk Technical College, and investigators followed him for about 25 minutes to a house in the 1200 block of South Emerald Grove Road in the town of Bradford, according to the criminal complaint.
Garland is accused of burglarizing the house and leaving. Deputies began chasing Garland’s car a short time later at speeds of up to 90 mph, according to the complaint.
The chase proceeded on rural roads and into Janesville, where Janesville police joined the chase. The car was found abandoned at Park Place Apartments on Racine Street, and Garland was caught in a wooded area nearby, near the CAMDEN Playground in Palmer Park, according to the complaint.
Garland faces charges of burglary, second-degree recklessly endangering safety and misdemeanor theft, all as repeat offenses, and fleeing an officer.
Investigators said they found a TV and a video game system stolen from the Emerald Grove home in Garland’s car.
Investigators also executed a search warrant at Garland’s home, where they said they found a small amount of marijuana and related paraphernalia.
Garland has used the alias of Randy D. Hall, the complaint states.
He is scheduled to be back in court at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
