By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
Fort Hays State University police arrested a 19-year-old man after investigating reports that multiple vehicles, some on campus and some off campus, were entered overnight on Oct. 9-10, with several items stolen.
Terry Pierce, FHSU police chief, said officers identified Joseph Steven Azzarito after the Hays police department shared a photo of a suspect in off-campus vehicle burglary.
FHSU officers later arrested Azzarito, and he was booked into the Ellis County Jail.
FHSU police then submitted an arrest and detention probable cause affidavit seeking multiple charges involving vehicle burglary, attempted vehicle burglary, underage possession of alcohol and underage possession of nicotine products.
Pierce provided the following statement:
On Saturday, Oct. 10, the FHSU Police Department was contacted by a person reporting that her parked, unoccupied vehicle was entered by an unknown person sometime during the night of Oct. 9-10.
After this initial report, the police officer on duty checked the other cars parked in the area. The FHSU police officer contacted the registered owners of the vehicles, and all confirmed that their vehicles were entered and several items were stolen.
Hays police had also received reports of vehicle burglaries off campus and had obtained a photo of an unknown white male suspect. FHSU officers were able to identify the suspect in the vehicle burglaries as Joseph Azzarito.
During the evening hours of Oct. 10., FHSU police found Azzarito and continued their investigation. Azzarito was later arrested by the FHSU officers and taken to the Ellis County Jail.
FHSU police submitted an arrest and detention probable cause affidavit seeking charges against Azzarito on multiple counts involving vehicle burglary, attempted vehicle burglary, underage possession of alcohol and underage possession of nicotine products.
He is currently prohibited from entering FHSU property.