Coral Springs police catch burglary suspect during second break-in
Coral Springs, Florida – A late-night police response in Coral Springs turned into a major burglary arrest after officers say they interrupted a man in the middle of causing extensive damage to property, tying him to multiple break-ins and roughly $200,000 in losses.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of May 20, around 2:30 a.m., when a Coral Springs police officer noticed a blue and white Ford F-150 with a logo on the passenger door parked behind a martial arts school at 5867 Wiles Road. The vehicle had already been linked to an earlier burglary investigation, prompting officers to keep watch on the area.
What happened next quickly escalated. Officers observed a man exit the area, enter the pickup truck, and quietly close the passenger door as if trying not to draw attention. The same individual then moved toward a dumpster surrounded by concrete walls, raising further suspicion. At that point, law enforcement requested support from the Broward Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit to help track movements from above.
When the helicopter arrived overhead, deputies located the suspect on the roof of a nearby property — a former Walgreens building now owned by Calvary Chapel at 4601 North State Road 7. From the air, they saw him actively tampering with air conditioning units installed on the rooftop, according to police reports.
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Officers on the ground issued verbal commands ordering the man to come down. He complied and was taken into custody without further incident. Investigators later identified him as Jeremiah James Copeland, 21, of Oakland Park.
On the roof, police recovered tools believed to have been used in the damage, including a DeWalt screw gun and a DeWalt Sawzall. Authorities say Copeland used those tools to damage two of four air conditioning units on the building, causing an estimated $200,000 in destruction. A ladder found at the northwest corner of the structure suggested how he gained access to the rooftop in the first place.
The arrest also tied Copeland to a separate burglary that occurred earlier in the month. On May 7, police say two men broke into the Village Square Association at 9301 West Sample Road. Using bolt cutters, they forced entry into a rear meter room and removed copper plumbing and brass backflow prevention valves. That incident resulted in approximately $1,500 in losses.
Surveillance footage from the May 7 burglary provided investigators with a key clue. One of the suspects was seen wearing a Camp Bowwow T-shirt with a logo on the left chest. When officers arrested Copeland on May 20, he was wearing the same shirt, which matched the footage from the earlier break-in.
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Based on the investigation, Copeland now faces multiple charges, including burglary of an unoccupied structure, two counts of criminal mischief over $1,000, two counts of burglary causing damage over $1,000, and grand theft between $750 and $5,000. He is currently being held at the Broward County Main Jail, where court records show a judge set his bond at $32,500.
Authorities also arrested a second suspect in connection with the case. James Calvin John J. Wright, 32, of Pompano Beach, is accused of acting as a lookout during the May 20 incident. Police say Wright is facing the same burglary and criminal mischief charges as Copeland.
Investigators say the rapid coordination between patrol officers and aerial support was key in stopping the second burglary in progress. The case remains under investigation as authorities review evidence connected to both incidents.
