Two men charged for armed burglaries

However, prosecutors can pursue harsher punishments by increasing the charge to “aggravated” burglary, which can land a person in prison for 25 years, if the defendant “is or becomes armed with or uses a deadly weapon” while committing the crime of burglary.

Both men charged with aggravated burglary last week possessed weapons during the burglary. However, police affidavits suggest that the guns and knives the men possessed were actually the items they stole.

Laramie resident Steven Crickon, 31, was arrested Thursday for a Sept. 12 burglary on East Ord Street near Spring Creek Elementary.

The victim told police that four firearms, $600, keys and some jewelry were stolen.

Three of the guns reported stolen were later sold to two pawn shops on Third Street, with Crickon’s name listed on the pawn slips.

Crickon apparently knew the victim and “had access to her room, but never had permission to stay for extended periods of time without her present.”

Crickon later admitted to police he pawned all three guns.

The second man charged with burglary is 21-year-old Kyle Grosstick, who’s alleged to have broken into vehicles on Downey Street in the early hours of Saturday.

Laramie police officer Asa Hutchinson, who also investigated Crickon’s case, responded to Downey Street at about 4 a.m. “for a report of a male subject trying to get into vehicles.”

Hutchinson found Grosstick, who mostly matched the description called in, walking along Hill Road.

Grosstick said he had been drinking at the Buckhorn Bar and voluntarily emptied his pockets.

The defendant had three box cutters, a red Swiss Army knife and other items which a man identified as being stolen out of his vehicle.

A police affidavit indicates the Swiss Army knife was stolen from a vehicle, but doesn’t indicate whether Grosstick had the box cutters at the beginning of the burglary.