Third Burglary Arrest this Year for Frieze

Officers from the West Plains Police Department responded to a report of forcible entry at a business on April 7 at 7:39 a.m. According to a press release from the WPPD, on arrival at Quality Motors in West Plains, officers found that a door to the business had been forced open, and suspects had taken a safe and other items. 

Review of surveillance video from the business allowed investigators to identify two suspects: Alexander Frieze, 19, and Zachary Wells, 19, both of Willow Springs. 

Law enforcement made contact with the two suspects at their residence when “upon further investigation, [Frieze and Wells] implicated themselves in the incident.”

Both men were arrested for burglary, felony stealing, and property damage. They were transported to the police department to be held pending charges. 

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Weatherman filed felony charges of second degree burglary, stealing $750 or more, and first degree property damage against both men the same day. However, both Frieze and Wells were back on the street on April 8 after posting bond in the amount of $5,000 each. 

This is the third felony burglary arrest for Frieze in the last 12 months. He was initially identified and charged thanks to surveillance footage during a burglary at Thomas F. Benyo Golf Course in Willow Springs in September 2019. He was arrested and charged again weeks later after he was identified in surveillance footage from a robbery at Willow SPrings Schools. Each time, Frieze was posted bail and was at liberty within days of the crimes. 

Despite being served with a warrant for yet another felony charge of escape or attempted escape from custody while under arrest for felony on April 9, only two days after his most recent brush with law enforcement, Frieze remains at large.