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Man with prior burglary record in Batavia charged in string of business break-ins

By Howard B. Owens
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Christopher Sprague

One suspect -- a man with a history of burglaries locally -- is in custody in a series of business break-ins in Batavia earlier this month and investigators believe another suspect is still at large.

Christopher T. Sprague, 25, of West Main Street, Batavia is charged with four counts of burglary.

Sprague is accused of participating in a series of burglaries and attempted burglaries at nine business locations on Ellicott Street, Jackson Street, Harvester Avenue, Swan Street, Center Street, Apollo Drive, and Liberty Street between Jan. 4 and Jan. 7.

A truck was stolen -- and later recovered -- at one of the locations.

Police say the suspects broke windows or kicked in doors to gain entry to most of the businesses. Items were taken at some businesses but not all.

Evidence was uncovered at each location that indicated the burglaries were all related and committed by the same suspects, said Det. Eric Hill in a news release.

Sprague was arrested in 2012 and convicted on burglary and attempted burglary charges. He was sentenced to three to six years in prison and released from custody in April 2016.

He was arrested in Batavia in May 2016, accused of breaking into a business on Treadeasy Avenue and stealing money.

Information isn't available at this time about the resolution of that 2016 case.

Sprague was arrested on the four burglary charges while in custody at the Genesee County Jail, where he was being held on an unrelated petit larceny charged and an alleged parole violation.

His parole on his 2012 conviction is scheduled to expire next month.

Hill said police are not releasing more information about the investigation at this time since there is the possibility of another suspect yet to be taken into custody.

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