Tracks left by a pair of Crocs helps connect 22-year old man to burglaries

Crocs plastic shoes left tread marks that helped link a 22-year-old Fairbanks man to downtown burglaries, authorities said.

The owner of a building where the break-ins occurred provided surveillance footage to police, who posted it on the department's Facebook page. Roland Huntington Grace's name was among several mentioned by tipsters, according to authorities.[caption id="attachment_2202202" align="alignleft" width="285"] An undated image of Roland Huntington Grace from a surveillance video released by the Fairbanks, Alaska, Police Department. AP Photo.[/caption]According to the court documents, Grace wore Crocs during a police interview, and the shoes matched the tread pattern found at the scene.

Grace faces charges of burglary, theft and criminal mischief in connection with the burglaries reported earlier this month, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner newspaper reported.

Grace was in custody Tuesday at the Fairbanks Correctional Center. Online court records don't have an attorney listed for him. Charging documents say Grace admitted to the burglaries.

The owner of The Crepery reported on April 1 that someone stole about $400 from a cash register after breaking into the restaurant. A minister at the Church of Christ reported April 2 that someone stole about $30 after prying open several locked doors. Another burglary at The Crepery was reported April 3, with $5 in change taken. A worker at the art gallery across the hall told responding police that there was a burglary at that shop as well, and that $1,000 of artists' jewelry was taken.

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Two necklaces matching the description of jewelry taken from the gallery were recovered from Grace, according to authorities.

AP