Video: Two Tupelo Residents Behind Bars on Burglary Charges

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) -Two people are behind bars and more arrests are expected as authorities investigate a rash of burglaries prompted by the need for drug money. 29-year-old Peggy Lira Diaz, and 28-year-old Justin Alexander Grissom were arrested over the weekend. Both are charged with grand larceny.

The Tupelo residents are accused breaking into homes, businesses, and construction sites over the past two and a half weeks.

Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson says investigators were questioning the suspects about a car burglary, when it became apparent they were involved in even more crimes.

Sheriff Johnson says Grissom has been on the wrong side of the law before, which is not unusual .

“You know it’s not easy to catch these people, it’s very difficult and very expensive and time consuming and I know for a fact that probably 80 or 85 percent of the people we deal with, if they were incarcerated for the amount of time they were originally sentenced to, we definitely would not be chasing them.”

A third suspect is being held in the Itawamba County Jail on similar charges. Sheriff Johnson says more charges are expected.

If you have been a victimized by a burglary in recent weeks, call the Lee County Sheriff’s Department to see if any of the stolen property belongs to you.