Police arrested a man in Illinois Thursday they believe is connected to recent campus-area crimes, according to Madison Police Department Sgt. Linda Covert.
Kendredge Dillard, suspected in connection to an estimated 25 to 30 Madison robberies, has a criminal record, and is currently being held in the Dane County jail on armed robbery charges.
The arrest immediately followed the armed robbery of a University of Wisconsin-Madison student’s home on the 500 block of West Mifflin Street. The male student aided police in the identification of the suspect, according to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4.
Verveer praised police efforts, calling the arrest a “huge breakthrough.”
“The news today is not only welcome, but I think a huge relief,” Verveer said.
Dillard’s arrest was made possible by a joint, coordinated effort of multiple police forces, according to Covert.
“We worked with several different police agencies in both Wisconsin and Illinois in an attempt to locate him, and he was located in Illinois,” Covert said. “We are confident enough to arrest him.”
Although a suspect is in custody, the case is still open. Police will continue to pursue all leads that relate to the investigation, Covert said.
MPD officers and city officials are still unsure to exactly how many crimes Dillard is explicitly linked.
“A huge amount of detective work still has to be done,” Verveer said.
Both Verveer and Covert still caution students to remain wary.
“Be aware of your surroundings,” Covert said. “You can’t be too paranoid.”
