UPDATED: 3:30 a.m., Feb. 18, 2014

The Department of Public Safety on Monday confirmed two people who were arrested this weekend are being considered as possible suspects in the recent burglaries of academic buildings.

DPS Chief Tony Callisto said a DPS sergeant saw two people on Saturday leaving an office in the Hall of Languages. The sergeant recognized the pair from surveillance video and followed them out of the building. He immediately called for backup and officers got into a foot-chase with the men, eventually arresting them.

Callisto said both men were found with two stolen laptops.

Duncan “Wonderboy” Miller, 21, homeless, is charged with third-degree burglary and fourth-degree grand larceny — both felonies — as well as misdemeanor seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest and third-degree criminal trespass.

Miller is being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center on $20,000 cash or $10,000 bond for the burglary, grand larceny and resisting arrest charges; $1,500 cash or bond for the criminal possession of a controlled substance charge; and $100 cash or $500 bond for criminal trespass.

Christopher “Shinobi” Dugger, 25, of 521 Garfield Ave., Syracuse, was also arrested Saturday. Dugger is also charged with fourth-degree grand larceny, third-degree burglary as well as the misdemeanors of possession of burglar’s tools, resisting arrest and third-degree criminal trespass.

Dugger is also in jail. His bail for the burglary, grand larceny, possession of burglar’s tools and resisting arrest charges is set at $25,000 cash or bond. For the criminal trespass, bail is set at $1,500 cash or bond.

He has a prior felony conviction for attempted second-degree burglary and spent four years in prison, according to the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The department’s database says Dugger got out of prison on Dec. 20. 

Shinobi, which the police report lists as Dugger’s nickname and alias, is a Japanese term for ninja.

Chief Callisto said the pair has not been charged in connection with the recent string of burglaries in on-campus buildings, but are being considered as suspects in the investigation.

The Syracuse Police Department and DPS are still investigating several burglaries that happened in the last two weeks at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Huntington Hall, Sci-Tech, the College of Law, Crouse College and Archbold Gymnasium. Several offices in Newhouse II were broken into Feb. 9.

Miller and Dugger are expected back in court on Thursday.

Published on February 17, 2014 at 5:22 pm

Contact Jacob: jspramuk@syr.edu