Accused boating burglar caught

BURNET COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) - Boating burglars hit homes along Lakes Buchanan and LBJ. Victims said police distributed questionnaires for additional details, hoping to close in on the suspects soon. On Friday, police took Jeffrey Scott Graves, 39, into custody for the burglaries.

Graves was taken into custody without incident for the following warrants:

• burglary of habitation (three counts by Llano Sheriff's Office)
• burglary of habitation (one county by Sunrise Beach Police Department)
• failure to appear for theft of property
• failure to appear for credit card abuse

Most Cassie subdivision residents along the west end of the lake only visit their vacation homes on the weekend. In the last few months, six of them fell victim to boating burglars. Altogether, the thieves have hit more than 40 homes along the shores of both Lakes Buchanan and LBJ.

Police said the burglars are mostly collecting electronics like flat-screen televisions, some of which investigators said they tracked to pawn shops in Dallas. When arrested, Graves was in possession of a stolen vehicle that was taken in one of the Sunrise Beach burglaries as well as other stolen property.

Graves is no stranger to the law. He has previous convictions for burglary and escape. He was transported to Llano County Jail. Additional charges are expected in the next few days.

As this lake is still down by 20 feet during the drought, it mean burglars cannot always boat right up to your backyard, as police suspect most are doing to commit their crimes. Coming in the back way instead of using the front door gives burglars an advantage. Investigators told residents to be mindful of anyone they see walking from the shore.

“We sort of watch out for one another,” Fischer said. “As you can see in this particular cove, we can look into one another’s backyards, so it makes it a little easier.”

Police believe burglars are striking sometime Monday through Thursday between midnight and 5 a.m. at homes where they know no one is home. That is the exact reason Hall is staying put, to protect his place in person.

“We’ve got a dog that weighs about 150 pounds that could chew you up in a heartbeat,” he said.

Austin News checked with other law enforcement agencies responsible for patrolling the other Highland Lakes. None have seen an increase in burglaries on those waterways recently.