A Des Moines man was arrested early Thursday and charged with breaking into at least three cars. The cars were parked in the S Lots near Jack Trice Stadium, Department of Public Safety officials said.

Fredrick Leon Heard, 19, was arrested and charged with burglary, attempted burglary and possession of burglary tools, said Loras Jaeger, director of DPS.

“There were three DPS officers in the area, and one was checking the lots and saw what he thought was suspicious activity,” he said. “As the car was leaving the parking lot, the officer recorded the plate number of the person acting suspicious.”

Jaeger said the officer checked the parking lot and saw that at least one car had been broken into. The license plate number on the car of the suspicious person was then broadcast over the intercom system, and an Ames police officer pulled the car over.

“A DPS officer then found property in the car that belonged to the three cars that had been broken into,” he said.

Justin Sorensen, freshman in pre-architecture, Dustin Holmes, undecided freshman, and Mike Brown, freshman in mechanical engineering, were the three students whose cars were broken into. The cars were parked in the S-3 and S-5 Lots, and at least two of them had their windows broken out.

Six other cars parked in the S lots were broken into late last week, causing about $4,000 in damages and loss, Jaeger said. All of those cars had their windows broken out as well.

“We don’t know if the two are related,” he said. “The other car burglaries happened so recently … we are continuing our investigation to see if this person was involved with those.”

Brown said his CD player, amplifier and subwoofer, totaling about $600, was taken from his car. The person gained entrance through a broken window.

“I’m glad they got somebody, but I don’t know if he is connected, but it sounds like it could be since it’s at the same spot,” he said.

Brown said this incident makes him leery about parking in the S lots, but he said he has no other choice.

“I’d like to think my car would be safe especially with [the parking lot] being well-lit; you would think that would deter people,” he said. “I’ll still park there, but I won’t have anything in my car anymore, that’s for sure.”

Jaeger said he believes Heard used a slim jim (a tool used to open locked cars) to enter the cars since he was found with one in his possession.

Holmes said his CD player was stolen from his car, but he did not know its value.

“I think he was the one who did it, but I really don’t know,” he said, referring to Heard. “I think he should have to pay for [my stereo], but I really doubt that will happen.”