Man Believed To Be 'Mission Impossible Burglar' Arrested In Huntington Beach
HUNTINGTON BEACH (CBSLA.com) — A man who police believe calls himself the "Mission Impossible Burglar" was arrested on suspicion of stealing more than $100,000 in laptops from a computer store in Huntington Beach.
Steven Jay Krueger, 50, of Pomona was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of commercial burglary, Huntington Beach police said.
Krueger stars in several YouTube videos explaining how he conducts his large-scale commercial burglaries and steals high-end electronics and has a Facebook fan page touting himself as the "Mission Impossible Burglar."
For a time, authorities said Krueger even allowed himself to be followed around by a documentary film crew.
Several law enforcement agencies worked together to arrest Krueger, including the Anaheim Police Department, the Pomona Police Department, the Los Angeles County Probation Department's Special Enforcement Operations Unit and the Orange County District Attorney's Office's Bureau of Investigation and DNA Unit, which tested samples from evidence found at the crime scene.
Krueger is being held at Huntington Beach City Jail without bail, pending transfer to Orange County Jail.
In the laptop caper, KCAL9's Stacey Butler reports Krueger is accused of cutting a hole through the ceiling of the computer store about a year ago.
Several law enforcement agencies worked together to arrest Krueger, including the Anaheim Police Department, the Pomona Police Department, the Los Angeles County Probation Department's Special Enforcement Operations Unit and the Orange County District Attorney's Office's Bureau of Investigation and DNA Unit, which tested samples from evidence found at the crime scene.
Police say Krueger is known as a meticulous planner and uses specialized tools, often to gain entry through the roof, to bypass alarm systems and other security devices.
Butler reported that Krueger has evaded authorities for years.
"He defeated state-of-the-art security and left police powerless to bring him down," Butler reported.
Officials believe Krueger even consulted with various businesses and told them how to better secure their stores.