A 20-year-old Mississippi man with previous auto burglary arrests is facing nearly two dozen new burglary charges, and police say he was already on parole for the same offense. The Starkville Police Department announced Tuesday that Anthony Buchanan was charged in connection with a series of vehicle break-ins reported one week earlier.
Police say the September 15 burglaries occurred in southern Starkville around the area off Louisville Street. Buchanan now faces 23 counts of auto burglary and one count of felony taking of a motor vehicle in connection with that investigation, according to the department’s September 22 news release.
It is far from the first time Starkville Police say Buchanan has been arrested in connection with vehicle burglaries. In November 2023, the department charged him with multiple counts following a series involving 25 reported auto burglaries and two stolen vehicles.
Police say Buchanan was arrested again in July 2024 and charged with five counts of auto burglary, one count of grand larceny auto, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm. Starkville Police say Buchanan was on parole for auto burglary when he was arrested in the latest case.
Jail Records Show Additional Charge and Mdoc Hold
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Custody records on the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office website reviewed for this story provide additional information not included in the Starkville Police Department’s September 22 news release. The record identifies Buchanan as a 20-year-old male and shows he was booked on September 17 at approximately 11:18 a.m. under inmate ID 09172667.
The custody record contains numerous charges under Mississippi Code 97-17-33 for burglary of a vehicle, train, boat, or building other than a dwelling, consistent with the series of vehicle burglary charges announced by police. However, the record also lists resisting or obstructing arrest and an MDOC hold, neither of which is explained in the police department’s release.
The available custody information does not explain what led to the resisting-or-obstructing-arrest entry, so it is unclear what occurred during Buchanan’s arrest. Likewise, while Starkville Police specifically state that Buchanan was on parole for auto burglary, the provided custody record lists only the MDOC hold without giving further details about its circumstances.
Police Warn Stolen Guns Can Fuel Local Violence
Starkville Police used the latest arrest to renew a warning about leaving valuables and firearms inside vehicles, saying weapons stolen during auto burglaries contribute directly to local violence. The warning carries additional relevance in Buchanan’s case because police say one of the charges stemming from his July 2024 arrest involved possession of a stolen firearm.
The department encouraged residents to make its “9 p.m. Routine” a nightly habit by removing valuables and firearms from their vehicles and locking their doors. Police also encouraged residents to follow the department’s nightly reminders and consider joining its Community Connect program as another way of assisting local crime prevention efforts.
Anyone with information concerning the latest burglaries or other criminal activity can contact Starkville Police at 662-323-4131 or Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 800-530-7151, while anonymous tips can also be submitted through the department’s website. Buchanan has been charged in the latest case, but those charges remain accusations and do not constitute a conviction.