FORT PIERCE — A man who police have said could be responsible for 20 burglaries or attempted burglaries of occupied homes since March was arrested Tuesday afternoon.

Police, with the help of a U.S. Marshals Service task force, apprehended Derrick L. Hickman, 33, for whom investigators obtained an arrest warrant in connection with a May attempted burglary in the 1600 block of Havana Avenue.

Investigators suspect Hickman could be responsible for 19 other burglaries or attempted burglaries, Fort Pierce police Sgt. Dennis McWilliams has said.

Police detectives Tuesday learned Hickman might be hiding in a local home, and they said he ran from investigators. He was captured at a house in the 2900 block of Kingsley Drive.

McWilliams has said fingerprints helped police pinpoint Hickman as a suspect in the Havana Avenue incident.

In the incidents, which occurred west of U.S. 1 and south of Orange Avenue, the burglar entered the homes at night while the occupants slept, something McWilliams has said was “particularly disturbing.”

The burglar, who was interrupted on several occasions, then left with items including cash, wallets and purses.

McWilliams said Hickman, whose last known address is in the 600 block of South Fifth Street, has an “extensive criminal history.”

Hickman was held Wednesday in the St. Lucie County jail on $160,000 bail, a jail official said.

By Will Greenlee

Tags: arrest, bail, burglar, burglary, cash, detective, driving, extension, history, housing, investigation, jail, man, police, purse, warrant

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 12th, 2009 at 10:08 am and is filed under Courts, Crime, Fort Pierce. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.