SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield man has been charged with second-degree burglary after allegedly breaking into a woman’s home while she was away.
James Lee Rankin, born in 1986, faces the felony charge in Greene County Circuit Court following a residential break-in that occurred on Tuesday, April 15.
According to the probable cause statement, officers from the Springfield Police Department responded around 11 a.m. after the homeowner reported finding an unknown man inside her house. The suspect, later identified as Rankin, was reportedly holding a sledgehammer and crowbar when confronted by the homeowner.
Rankin fled the scene through a window but was located and detained shortly after. Officers say he was in possession of a hatchet, cane, and items belonging to the victim, including a shirt he was wearing and documents found in his backpack.
Police believe Rankin gained entry through a window, which showed signs of forced entry. He was identified by the victim on the scene and taken into custody.
Rankin had just been released from the Christian County Jail on April 8 following misdemeanor convictions for assault and resisting arrest. He is currently being held in the Greene County Jail on a $25,000 open-court bond.
If convicted, Rankin could face up to seven years in prison.
