PITTSBURG, Kan. — A Columbus man is facing a series of felony charges after being linked to multiple burglaries, thefts, and a suspected arson in Pittsburg, Kansas.
According to the Pittsburg Police Department, officers responded to a home in the 100 block of W. Potlitzer Street around 10 a.m. on Monday, November 3, 2025, following a report of a burglary in progress.
Upon arrival, police found 54-year-old James P. Jones inside one of the bedrooms. He was taken into custody without incident.
An investigation revealed that Jones had stolen property from the residence, as well as from a motor vehicle burglary reported earlier that same morning on the same block. Additional items linked to two more vehicle burglaries and another residential break-in were discovered in a 2012 Mazda 3 connected to Jones.
Police later learned that the Mazda had been reported stolen from the Pittsburg State University campus earlier that day.
Jones was booked into the Crawford County Jail on charges of aggravated burglary, four counts of felony theft, and three counts of vehicle burglary. He is currently being held without bond.
Investigators also identified Jones as a suspect in a vehicle fire reported around 5:50 a.m. that same morning behind a home in the 1700 block of S. Broadway Street. Officers discovered a 2006 Chrysler 300 ablaze and worked with the Pittsburg Fire Department to extinguish the flames.
Police say additional arson-related charges will be submitted to the prosecutor’s office for review.
Authorities emphasize that Jones is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
