FARMINGTON, Utah - A chance encounter between Davis County deputies and a suspect landed a possible serial burglar behind bars.
52 year-old Christian Wayne Pyle is suspected of burglarizing nine businesses, mostly restaurants, in Sugar House.
Pyle was scheduled to appear in Davis County court Wednesday morning on another burglary charge. Court records show he failed to appear but a cop spotted him lurking in the parking lot.
“[He] was recognized by one of the deputies there and in an attempt to arrest him on some warrants, he bolted," said Farmington City Manager Dave Millheim.
Police say a citizen spotted Pyle ditching his car near Farmington Junior High. That school and the elementary school went into lockdown for a half hour while police searched the area. A couple blocks away, the mayor's daughter-in-law saw Pyle hiding in her garage at roughly 400 West and State Street.
"She went to close her garage door. The man was sighted. Luckily there was a Farmington officer close by. He apprehended the man but she was scared and so was the family," said Millheim.
Police say Pyle had meth on him and cops booked him into jail on multiple charges, including drug possession, evading police and a burglary warrant.
Now, police in Grantsville, Tooele, Farmington and Salt Lake City are investigating whether Pyle is connected to burglaries in those communities.
Court records show law enforcement agencies have dealt with Pyle for years. He has a criminal record dating back to 1984.
