DNA Hit Nets Arrest in Bedroom Bandit Case

DNA evidence leads police to an arrest in the case of a bedroom bandit.

Police say he was breaking into homes when no one was home and would lay different items of women's clothing out on the bed and in same cases steal some of those items.

“We assume he's working through some form of fantasy,” said Charlottesville Police Captain Chip Harding.

Police believed this fantasy man or bedroom bandit was connected to five break ins in the city; two on Monta Vista, one on Porter Avenue, one on 6th Street SE and one on Rockcreek Rd.

Police said the women would come home to find their clothing laid out on their bed.

“You were seeing dresses that had been moved around, stockings, underwear even shoes and in one case we had a photograph was moved from where it was located and actually laid on the bed in conjunction with other clothes,” said Harding.

Police didn't know who the bedroom bandit was until yesterday when they got a call from a backed-up lab saying DNA from a year old case on Rockcreek Road came up with a hit.

“They used a light they had and something had fluoresced on the bed sheet and they sent it down to the lab and the lab is a bit behind right now on crime scenes,” said

Charlottesville police said the DNA that of Lawrence Roundtree. And what made them most uncomfortable about this case is that the suspect seemed to be watching his victims breaking in when they weren't at home.

“Everybody’s brain works different but we were very concerned it could escalate into where you actually had an attack on a person,” said Harding.

Police said they also have finger print evidence along with the DNA and have charged Roundtree in two of the cases. He is being held without bond at the regional jail.

Yesterday police announced DNA led them to an arrest in another burglary case. All total, Charlottesville has had more hits on the DNA databank than 10 states combined.