High-profile burglary suspect arrested

By: Phil Pendleton - Email

Posted: Fri 6:40 PM, Feb 15, 2013

SOMERSET, Ky. (WKYT) - A line of communication with the high profile burglary suspect was opened yesterday.

“That's when the negotiation started for Mr. Lopez to turn himself in,” said Lt. Det. Shannon Smith after James Lopez, Jr. left the Somerset Police Dept. en route for the Casey County Jail in Liberty.

Officers met Lopez near a Eubank Marathon station and he surrendered peacefully.

“He's been cordial, cooperative the entire time,” said Smith.

Yet it's a far cry from the fear police say he inflicted on many homeowners in at least 5 counties. Police say he would knock on doors and when no one answered he would kick in the door and proceed to steal cash, jewelry and drugs.
He’s suspected of crimes in Anderson, Mercer, Boyle, and Casey Counties. Police think he could be linked to crimes in the Somerset area.

“We sat down and talked to him about some cases here inside Somerset,” said Smith.

Police say Lopez ended his run because he was tired of seeming his face plastered all over the news.

“Due to the attention brought to him on the news media, he wanted to get a lot of this behind him,” said Smith.

He was taken to Casey County because of outstanding warrants there.

Much cooler conditions behind the front