The overworked and understaffed Burlington Police Department luckily didn’t see any new shootings this weekend, but police did have to track down stolen vehicles Thursday evening.
According to the department’s recent crime report, the BPD received a message around 7:30 p.m. about a stolen vehicle. The Winooski Police Department located the stolen vehicle and notified Burlington police.
The vehicle was one of three that had been stolen from a dealership parking lot when the business was burglarized during the morning of June 9, according to the police report.
After an investigation, officers from Winooski tracked down Marlon Taylor, age 28, who had fallen asleep behind the wheel while parked at Weaver Street. He was taken into custody and charged with “aggravated operations without owner’s consent,” violation of court conditions, and driving with a suspended license.
Taylor has been arrested five times in the past three months for stolen vehicle complaints in Burlington and South Burlington, the police report states, and he also had an arrest warrant for missing a scheduled court date.
Losing patience at the mayor’s office?
Last week, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and acting Police Chief Jon Murad once again issued a warning that understaffing has played a role in the city’s uptick in crime.
“To rebuild the department to the ranks, to the now authorized headcount of 87, we need the City Council to approve and demonstrate their full support for the rebuilding plan that I will be submitting in my FY ‘23 budget, that I will be submitting,” Weinberger said, according to a WCAX report.
The BPD currently has 60 officers after City Council voted to cut the police force by 30% through attrition back in June 2020. Council members have since re-authorized staffing of 87 police officers.
The uptick in crime has been especially concerning due to the high number of shootings — 38 gunfire incidents have been reported since 2020. Murad recently stated that local gangs are a major culprit.
Updates on reports of various crimes can be found on the Burlington Police Department’s daily incident blotter.
Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.
“violation of court conditions, and driving with a suspended license.
Taylor has been arrested five times in the past three months for stolen vehicle”
Sounds like the courts haven’t been getting the message of breaking the law is a bad thing to this and other career criminals in B town.. or is the DA just following the
councils wishes for revolving door punishment.
You can’t blame an understaffed police dept for these crimes. The blame
is solidly at the hands of the State’s Attorney…Ms. George… a “rising star” in the flock of
Soros-backed leftist prosecutors.
I’m surprised any police officer would want to work for these idiots. I wouldn’t.
The Marxist’s of Burlington have brought this on themselves, the worlds smallest violin playing just for them.