An intensified investigation of more than 20 burglaries that crossed two counties ends today with the arrest of a Jefferson City man.

About 10 o’clock this morning Detective Sergeant Greg Martin of the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office was in the state capital.

"Cole County Sheriff’s Office was instrumental in making the arrest for us today,"Martin said. "I went up to Jeff City today and met with them. Because it’s not my jurisdiction they arrested the person on my behalf, turned custody of him over to me, and helped us locate him."

22-year old Bryce Vittetoe is being held in the Morgan County Jail pending formal charges.  Vittetoe is a suspect in the 23 residential burglaries or attempted burglaries that have become more frequent over the past few months.  Sergeant Martin says due to the increase in incidents, the sheriff’s department asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol crime lab if the local evidence could be pushed up in line.

“Mainly we called and asked. We explained the gravity of the situation. How important it was to the citizens down there in Rocky Mount," Martin said.

"The number of residences obviously made it important in getting these people stopped because this was an ongoing series. This wasn’t just they came and hit it and they left."

Martin says the state highway patrol, water patrol, and Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force all participated in the canvassing investigation.  The break came from the state crime lab.

“This particular instance it was solved by the trace evidence that was left behind. It wasn’t solved by the old fashioned banging on doors police work. But we always do that to make sure we have got all of our bases covered."

Other arrests are expected. Martin said that Vittetoe stole mostly LCD TV’s but he also did thousands of dollars in damage to the mostly vacation homes.