RICHMOND —
A Richmond man who has a long history of committing burglaries in order to support a drug habit may be facing 15 years in prison at the recommendation of Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Smith.
Michael Hobbs, 41, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Madison Circuit Court to second-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools and second-degree persistent felony offender charges. The maximum sentence for the crimes is 20 years.
When Hobbs committed the June 24 crime, he was on parole in connection with his 2007 conviction for five burglaries. He was sentenced to 12 years for those crimes, but was released in August 2010.
Hobbs had been nicknamed the “Pillowcase Bandit” by Richmond police because he reportedly used pillowcases from the homes he burglarized to stash and carry out stolen items. After his arrest in 2007, Hobbs told police he learned how to break into homes by watching the television show “It Takes a Thief” on the Discovery Channel.
After entering his guilty plea to the 2011 charges, Judge Jean C. Logue asked Hobbs what happened when he committed the crimes.
“Drugs,” Hobbs said. He reportedly told police in 2007 he stole to support a $150-per-day Percocet habit.
Logue said she needed more detail as to what specifically happened June 24. Hobbs said he knocked on the door of a house on Barnes Mill Road, and when no one answered the door, he went inside the home’s garage through an unlocked door. A juvenile resident of the home came outside and confronted Hobbs, who then left.
Police found Hobbs later that day in Stonegate Estates. A pry bar, drill bit and pliers were found in his vehicle, according to police.
“Was your intent to go in and burglarize the house?” Logue said.
“Yes,” Hobbs said.
After he was charged in the garage break-in, a police investigation connected him with another June burglary on Primrose Circle in which a digital camera was stolen from a home and sold to another party before it was recovered.
Police arrested Hobbs, who was out on bail, on July 19 and charged him with receiving stolen property under $10,000.
Since Hobbs was out on parole for a prior conviction when he committed the 2011 crimes, he will have to serve the remainder of that sentence — about nine years — in addition to the recommended 15-year sentence.
Hobbs’ formal sentencing is scheduled for March 22. He is represented by attorney Jim Baechtold.
Sarah Hogsed can be reached at shogsed@richmondregister.com or 624-6694.
Local News
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