LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A Louisville man is behind bars after police said he burglarized multiple coffee shops and two gas stations.

During the day, cars come and go through the Heine Brothers drive thru.

"I mean it seems peaceful during the day," Stephen Chadwick, who lives in the Highlands, said. "But at night, you better be careful where you go. Where you park your car. How late you stay out. Nothing good happens after 2."

That was exactly the case one night last week when a Louisville man was just beginning his crime spree.

Police said on October 14 at 2:30 a.m., Trenton Kelley, 27, burglarized the Heine Brothers at 2309 Frankfort Avenue. 

About an hour later, police said he hit the Heine Brothers at 3060 Bardstown Road, near Gardiner Lane.

But Kelley wasn't done yet.

Police said several minutes later he then hit another Heine Brothers just down the road at 1250 Bardstown Road.

"After hours the stores were closed," LMPD Detective Kevin Pickerrell said. "He'd break through the window and steal either through the drive thru at the Heine Brothers, reach in and grab the cash tills and just leave."

Kelley was caught on surveillance video inside the stores. And he was seen driving away in a stolen red Chrysler 300 according to police.

Three days later, on October 17 during the overnight hours, the Shell gas station at 3002 River Road was targeted as well as the Heine Brothers at 2309 Frankfort Avenue for a second time.

And on Wednesday, October 23, Boone's gas station at 2912 Brownsboro Road was also hit.

Police have tied all these crimes back to Kelley.

"We got him in there stealing cartons of cigarettes and about 200 loose packs of cigarettes as well," Det. Pickerrell said.

When police executed a search warrant at Kelley's house, they found evidence of the crimes, and the stolen Chrysler set on fire. But more importantly, they found guns and rifles.

"Getting the guns off the street is really big," Det. Pickerrell said. "For us, to know that they're not in criminals' hands, not being used against us, not being used against the public, or used anywhere else."

"I think police are very sincere about trying to do the best job possible," Chadwick said.

In addition to having security cameras, police give this advice to business owners:

"Lights," Det. Pickerrell said. "A lot of lights. Especially if you can leave a main light on in the inside, so their faces aren't blurred. 

Police said there could be more suspects in these cases. Detectives are also investigating if other stolen cars could be linked to Kelley.

If you have any information about this case, you are asked to call LMPD's anonymous Crime Tip Line at 502-574-LMPD (5673) or submit a tip on the online Crime Tip Portal by clicking here.

Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.