Probation granted in break-in case

An Independence man charged after being caught in Jefferson City in February in possession of several items taken in break-ins throughout Mid-Missouri has pleaded guilty to charges in connection with that case.

Travis Tomnitz, 36, was charged with receiving stolen property, possession of burglar's tools and unlawful use of a weapon. A charge of endangering the welfare of a child was dismissed.

Cole County Judge Dan Green placed Tomnitz on five years of supervised probation. As part of his probation, he must complete a treatment program.

A man who had found his vehicle had been tampered with contacted authorities and provided a description of a suspicious vehicle he had seen, according to a Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement. Officers located a vehicle matching that description in the 1200 block of Missouri Boulevard.

Tomnitz was inside the vehicle, which contained numerous items in plain sight that were believed to have been stolen. These included tools, musical instruments, magazines and jewelry. Officers also found methamphetamine and a .380 handgun along with bolt cutters.

Tomnitz cut locks on storage sheds in California and Camdenton and later stole items out of vehicles in Jefferson City.

California police were contacted, and officers went to a storage unit facility, where they found two units had cut-off padlocks. Property from both units was found in the vehicle the group was stopped in; that property, valued at nearly $2,000, was returned to rightful owners.