Burglar Smashes Car Through Closed Garage Door in Clayton Home, Police Say

A man who was already serving probation for a burglary case in Creve Coeur and elsewhere in St. Louis County smashed a car through a closed garage door after the homeowner confronted him in Clayton Sept. 29, police said.

Clayton Police said Charles M. Finley, 20, of University City, entered an attached garage in about 12:30 a.m. Sept. 29 in the 200 block of Gay Avenue. He began going through a car, stealing a cell phone and Cardinals baseball tickets, according to the police report.

When the homeowner entered the garage and confronted him, Finley started the 2012 GMC Arcadia and backed through the garage door, causing $2,200 in damages, according to the report.

The cell phone and Cardinals tickets were recovered from Finley when he was arrested, police said.

Finley, of the 1200 block of North and South Road, was charged with first-degree burglary, stealing a car, first-degree property damage and stealing.

He is being held in St. Louis County jail in lieu of a $66,000 bond.

Finley also was charged Sept. 25 with second-degree burglary in University City.

Before that, he was on five years probation and had suspended execution of sentence for pleaded guilty to eight burglary charges in Clayton, University City, Maryland Heights, Creve Coeur, Chesterfield and St. Louis County. He received 120 days of shock incarceration.