Cars were vandalized and broken into in a residential neighborhood a few blocks west of the Augustana University campus early Friday morning.

Sioux Falls Police Department Public Information Officer Sam Clemens said the report came around 2:00 AM.

“Someone saw a guy walking down Jefferson Avenue and he was checking cars. The person saw him go into a couple unlocked cars. Officers found him at the corner of 31st and Lyndale.”

According to the officers, the suspect was in possession of a knife at the time of initial questioning. Clemens continued that there are strong connections to other discoveries in the area.

“As they were starting to look into the different vehicles that had been entered, officers also found a lot of cars had slashed tires. (However), we weren’t able to charge him with any of the vandalisms (right away).”

Police believe that in total six cars were entered and there were seventeen reports of slashed tires. Taken into custody was a 22-year old transient named Franklin John Clairmont who faces two counts of criminal entry of a motor vehicle with the likelihood of more charges to come.

Clemens also indicated that the area of cars being disturbed ranged from the 2600-2900 blocks of Lyndale Avenue and the 2900 and 3000 blocks of Jefferson Avenue.


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