The trial for one of the two men suspected in a string of auto burglaries belonging to law enforcement, public officials and other private citizens continues in Reno County District Court.
19-year-old Sheridan Kiraly is charged with 17-counts of burglary stemming from his arrest, along with 21-year-old Victor Smith and 18-year-old Madison Smalling.
Kiraly along with Smith are accused of numerous burglaries which occurred in a period occurring from July 1, through July 3, of last year.
Smalling who was convicted of four of those burglaries and is currently on community corrections took the stand Wednesday afternoon and told of the numerous car burglaries that Kiraly who she calls “Mikey” would commit car burglaries using her white Ford Explorer. She says, he called it, “car hopping,” where he would go from vehicle to vehicle and break in using a base-ball bat or a sports glove and then take items he wanted. She also told the jury that he would then sell some of the items to co-defendant Victor Smith. She says he used her vehicle more then 10-times while he was staying at her home.
She says he liked police cars, but denied that he specifically targeted those vehicles. She says there are those who want the guns and other police equipment.
She also told of using some stolen credit cards on a couple of occasions at the Wal-Mart in McPherson. Both times, June 9, and again on June 27, the cards were given to her by Kiraly.
She also told of being stopped by officer James Wilson, the day of the last set of burglaries, this near 23rd & Waldron. The officer apparently passed them, then turned around. Kiraly told her, “don’t stop driving until he turns his lights on.” The office did and that led to a search of her vehicle where allegedly numerous items suspected of being taken earlier that morning had been taken.
Wilson testified prior to Smalling taking the stand that he found numerous items in the Ford explorer that they could trace back to those burglaries. She also told that the burglaries went outside just the Hutchinson area, and would include Mt. Hope, McPherson, Wichita, and Buhler.
On the stand Wednesday morning were both Judge Tim Chambers, and Assistant District Attorney Andrew Davidson. Both are victims in the case along with the daughter of Judge Patty Macke Dick. Chambers and Davidson both testified to discovering items missing. In the case of Judge Chambers, the discovery came later rather then immediately after the fact. He discovered a GPS device missing and that accounts for the state filing a 17th count of auto burglary against Kiraly. For Davidson, it was really his wife’s vehicle that was burglarized.
KBI fingerprint expert Eric Moore also took the stand and testified Wednesday to matching three prints to Kiraly, one a palm print, and then two fingerprints. He also explained to the jury how they match prints. Those prints were inside Sgt. Glen McMurray’s police vehicle. Ironically, McMurray investigates property crimes for the Hutchinson Police Department.
Victor Smith’s case is still pending, while Smalling entered a plea and is currently on community corrections.
Kiraly is also accused in a second case of battering a law enforcement officer.