The Fort Wayne Police Department has arrested David Lee Arrington Jr., in connection with a series of burglaries at the Southgate Shopping Plaza in Fort Wayne, Indiana, between April 23 and July 17, 2026.
Date: April 23, 2026 – July 17, 2026
Location: Southgate Shopping Plaza, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Time: 0500 hours
Suspect Arrested: David Lee Arrington Jr., 20 years old, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Preliminary Charges:
- Burglary, Level 5 Felony
- Burglary, Level 5 Felony
- Burglary, Level 5 Felony
- Burglary, Level 5 Felony
- Burglary, Level 5 Felony
- Burglary, Level 5 Felony
- Burglary, Level 5 Felony
- Burglary, Level 5 Felony
- Burglary, Level 5 Felony
- Burglary, Level 5 Felony
- Burglary, Level 5 Felony
Fort Wayne Police Department incident Report Details/Summary:
Between April 23 and July 17, 2026, detectives with the Fort Wayne Police Department’s Property Crimes Investigative Support Division investigated a series of burglaries in and around the Southgate Shopping Plaza.
Investigators believed the burglaries were committed by the same individual, who repeatedly targeted businesses in the area while taking steps to conceal his identity. These efforts made it difficult for detectives to identify the suspect.
The Fort Wayne Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit assisted with the investigation and conducted surveillance in the area. During the early morning hours of July 17, Street Crimes detectives observed an individual matching the suspect’s description walking through the Southgate Shopping Plaza area and appearing to scout potential burglary targets.
Detectives detained the individual and identified him as 20-year-old David Lee Arrington Jr. During a subsequent interview, Arrington admitted his involvement in the burglaries. Arrington was arrested and preliminarily charged with 11 counts of burglary.
Download the FWPD news release.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
All information is preliminary and subject to change during the course of the investigation.
Investigators are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Fort Wayne Police Department at 427-1201, Crime Stoppers at 436-7867, or use the free “P3 Tips” app.
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