Sunday evening, several vehicles were broken into at area workout facilities and items stolen. Bridgeport Police Department is investigating one of those incidents.

 

“We had one vehicle broken into at Planet Fitness,” said Bridgeport Police Lt. Gary Weaver. “Windows were broken out and a purse stolen.”

 

The incident took place between 6 and 8 p.m. Sunday and was reported by the vehicle owner. It is under investigation by Bridgeport Police and there are no leads, Weaver said

 

Bridgeport’s Erica Bastin had a similar incident at the WV Fitness 24 parking lot. Clarksburg Police is investigating that incident and a handful of others which took place Sunday night at the same location.

 

“There were six of us at WV Fitness,” she said. “All had windows broken out and purses stolen. Some of the vehicles had guns and laptops inside, but they weren’t taken.”

 

Bastin’s designer purse, $200 cash, credit cards and other personal information were taken between 7:30 and 7:45 p.m.

Weaver said he is aware that there were other incidents in gyms throughout North Central West Virginia around the same time. He said they are not related to a series of incidents which took place in recent months in Bridgeport residential areas. In those incidents, items were stolen from vehicles which were left unlocked in front of residences. Among items taken were firearms and cash.

 

“We did finally make an arrest in those cases,” Weaver said.

 

Zachary Taylor, 25, was arrested and charged with entering without breaking into an auto and subsequently served time at North Central Regional Jail. Taylor was linked to most of the incidents that took place throughout Bridgeport.

 

Wednesday afternoon, Taylor escaped when he jumped out of a North Central Regional Jail transport van near Chestnut Street in Clarksburg. Still shackled and in orange prison clothing, he was discovered at a family member’s home behind China One in Clarksburg after a search, including the use of a K9 unit, took place.

 

Individuals are reminded to keep vehicles locked and even when locked, keep valuables out of sight. At least one of the gyms involved in the breaking and entering cases is vamping up its security system.