National Vietnam War Museum Burglary Arrest April 11, 2016.

Braxton Lee Manley, 25, of Mineral Wells

APRIL 11, 2016.

PRESS RELEASE

Parker County Sheriff’s investigators arrested a man Saturday evening, in connection with a weekend break-in of the National Vietnam War Museum, in Mineral Wells.

Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said the burglary occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 9, 2016, in the 12000 block of Mineral Wells Highway.

A museum volunteer reported he arrived Saturday morning to discover unknown suspect(s) forcefully gained entry through the rear of the building by damaging a deadbolt lock and prying the door open.

A flat-screen television, two laptop computers, a security camera and an undisclosed amount of cash from the museum donation jar were taken in the burglary.

Still photographs from existing video surveillance cameras were posted on social media and tips were called in to the Parker County Sheriff’s Office.

Through the case investigation, Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Division investigators were able to identify, locate and apprehend the suspect within 24 hours of the burglary. The suspect was identified as Braxton Lee Manley, 25, of Mineral Wells.

Manley implicated himself in the burglary reporting he took the items, but left the flat-screen television because he could not carry it on his bicycle, leaving it outside the rear of the building. Manley also told investigators he spent the money he took.

Sheriff’s investigators recovered most of the stolen items at a residence in the 1900 block of Southeast 12^th Street, in Mineral Wells, where Manley was located, including the remote to the television.

Manley was arrested and booked into the Parker County Jail late Saturday on a felony charge of burglary of a building.

Manley’s bond was set at $7,500. As of Monday morning, Manley remained incarcerated.

Sheriff Fowler said the case will be filed with the Parker County District Attorney’s Office for consideration of prosecution.