AUGUSTA — Police arrested an Augusta man on multiple charges of burglarizing motor vehicles early Sunday morning.

Danial Robert Tripp, 33, faces three charges of burglary of a motor vehicle, two charges of theft, one charge of violating conditions of release and one charge of possession of burglar’s tools following his arrest early Sunday morning.

Augusta Lt. Kevin Lully said Tripp admitted to taking items from vehicles in the Winthrop Street neighborhood.

However, he denied any involvement in other burglaries which have occurred in Augusta — both in that neighborhood and others — during the last few months.

Lully said police are still investigating whether Tripp could be linked to any of those past burglaries.

Early Sunday morning police approached Tripp, who was walking, at the corner of Green and Sewall streets.

Lully said Tripp was in possession of items believed to be stolen in motor vehicle burglaries reported Sunday morning on Winthrop, High, and Lancaster streets. Those items included cash, keys, identifications, pocket knives, flashlights and gift cards.

The possession of burglar’s tools charge was filed, Lully said, because Tripp “… was in possession of a screwdriver, and cutting apparatus.”

Details on what the cutting apparatus was were unavailable Sunday. The burglaries were reported between 1 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Tripp was taken to Kennebec County jail.

Lully said Tripp was cooperative. He did not explain why he allegedly took the items. Lully said the recovered items would be returned to their rightful owners after they had been catalogued and photographed.

In December of last year, Police Chief Robert Gregoire told city councilors the city was in the midst of an increase in property crimes, including motor vehicle and home burglaries, and urged residents to lock the doors to their homes and vehicles.

In November of last year, for example, there were 157 property crimes including burglaries, robberies, thefts, and stolen motor vehicles in Augusta , while there were only 88 such crimes in the previous November, according to Gregoire.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com