Multi State Crime Spree Suspect Captured After Pursuit in Montgomery County
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TEXAS — A man accused of carrying out a string of vehicle burglaries across six states is now behind bars after Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies located and arrested him Friday following a brief pursuit in The Woodlands.
Leonard Baker, identified as a suspect in multiple vehicle burglaries and thefts spanning Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, was taken into custody July 31 after deputies received critical intelligence from a Hoover Police Department detective in Alabama who had been tracking Baker’s movements and criminal patterns.
Deputies were alerted that Baker had allegedly burglarized a vehicle in the parking lot of the YMCA in the 6100 block of Shadowbend Place. Patrol units canvassed the surrounding area and soon located Baker at a nearby Target store in the 1100 block of Lake Woodlands Drive.
When deputies attempted a traffic stop, Baker fled, prompting a slow‑speed pursuit through the area. Deputies then executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver, safely disabling the vehicle and ending the chase without injuries or additional damage.
Baker was arrested on multiple charges, including credit/debit card abuse elderly, burglary of a motor vehicle, and evading in a motor vehicle with a previous conviction. He also had an active parole warrant, and investigators say additional charges from other jurisdictions are expected as agencies across several states continue coordinating their cases.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office publicly thanked the Hoover Police Department detective whose detailed information helped deputies locate Baker and bring an end to what authorities describe as a multi‑state crime spree.
