By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
A St. George man on felony probation was arrested in connection with a series of burglaries in Cedar City, including break-ins at a restaurant, smoothie shop, and pawn store, authorities said.
Jayme Lynn Patterson, 47, faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges for burglary, theft, and property damage following three separate incidents this month.
According to court documents filed in 5th District Court, investigators said Patterson stole safes, cash, and electronics, causing thousands of dollars in damages.
The first burglary occurred on March 3 at an IHOP restaurant, where surveillance footage allegedly showed Patterson smashing the front glass door and taking a safe containing $500 in cash and the restaurant’s keys. The damage, including repairs and rekeying, totaled over $1,000. Patterson’s girlfriend later identified him from the surveillance video, telling investigators, “I don’t even need my glasses to tell you that is him,” the affidavit stated.
On March 14, officers responded to a break-in at Pawn Plus, where the front glass door was shattered. Security footage captured a masked suspect grabbing laptops and two pellet rifles before fleeing. The rifles were later found abandoned on the side of Interstate 15. Police said items from the pawn shop were recovered during a search of Patterson’s apartment.
The most recent incident occurred on March 24 at Tropical Smoothie, where a safe and cash registers were stolen. Surveillance footage showed a light-colored sedan at the scene, which officers traced to Patterson using newly implemented Flock Safety cameras. The cameras captured Patterson’s vehicle, a 2002 Mercury Grand Marquis, driving near the smoothie shop just after the break-in.
A damaged safe with a hole cut into it was later found near Interstate 15, along with a Tropical Smoothie gift certificate and deposit bag. Officers estimated losses at over $1,400 in cash and $2,000 in damages.
During a search of Patterson’s vehicle, officers located tools commonly used for burglary, including a spring-loaded center punch, crowbars, and a cordless grinder. Detectives also found large amounts of money and clothing matching the description from the surveillance videos.
“There was a large black coat that had pieces of broken glass and a “Cardinals” baseball hat that appeared to match what the suspect was wearing in the surveillance video,” the affidavit stated. “There were also scratches going vertically up the rear bumper into the trunk, consistent with having to lift a heavy object into it.”
Patterson declined to speak with investigators. Court records indicate he was on felony probation for a previous burglary conviction at the time of his arrest. He is being held without bail at the Iron County Jail.