Suspect in multiple Cape Coral burglaries faces additional charges for $16K burglary

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

A man who was arrested after multiple burglaries, including the theft of a $1,000 scooter, is facing more charges after Cape Coral police said a forensic fingerprint tied him to another crime.

In November 2025, the Cape Coral Police Department launched an investigation after a man was caught on surveillance video burglarizing homes and vehicles at SW 26th Avenue, SW 38th Street and SW 26th Place.

The suspect was later identified as Richard Steven Chinn, 47. He was arrested at his home in December after police said he was seen wearing a jacket that was believed to have been stolen during a burglary on Nov. 7.

According to CCPD, on Nov. 11, officers responded to a home on Oasis Boulevard after the victim noticed a pried-open side garage door.
Numerous items were missing from the garage, and the Cadillac Escalade that was inside was also burglarized.

Approximately $16,487 worth of frozen food, model cars, tools and gift cards, and the home was occupied at the time, according to police.

CCPD said officers documented pry marks and collected a broken plastic Budweiser cup, a DeWalt drill bit set and a metal floor jack arm that the victim identified as his and submitted as evidence.

According to the CCPD news release, a neighbor told officers they saw a pickup truck and a male loading items at approximately 4:30 a.m.

Residential video showed a white pickup truck, believed to be an older Ford F-150 with a toolbox, in the area around 4:50 a.m. Police said items were being loaded into the cab before it drove through nearby streets.

Forensics confirmed a latent print lifted from the Escalade matched the left thumb of Chinn, according to CCPD.

A search warrant was executed at Chinn's residence on Dec. 2. CCPD said detectives found documents bearing Chinn's name and several boxed model cars similar to the ones that were reported stolen.

The victim later identified the models as his stolen property after viewing photographs.

While in custody at the Lee County Jail for unrelated charges on Feb. 19, Chinn was served with additional charges by Cape Coral detectives.

Those charges include the following:

• Burglary of an occupied dwelling, unarmed, one count, second-degree felony
• Burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, unarmed, one count, third-degree felony
• Grand theft $10,000 or more but less than $20,000, one count, third-degree felony

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