Gage Luttman, 36, of Hillsboro has been charged with 252 felony and misdemeanor crimes for allegedly stealing from storage units, basements, businesses and garages over an eight-month period in south St. Louis. Police said his arrest in April has led to storage unit and garage burglaries plummeting in the area, the case’s probable-cause statement said.
The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office on May 17 charged Luttman with 92 counts of second-degree burglary, a class D felony; 82 counts of second-degree property damage, a class B misdemeanor; 52 counts of stealing $750 or more, a class D felony; 11 counts of stealing, a class A misdemeanor; five counts of first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, a class D felony; four counts of first-degree burglary, a class B felony; three counts of first-degree property damage, a class E felony; one count of fourth-degree assault, a class C misdemeanor; one count of resisting arrest, a class E felony; and one count of stealing $25,000 or more, a class C felony, court records show.
A class B felony is punishable by five to 15 years in prison, and a class C felony carries a penalty of three to 10 years in prison. Class D felonies are punishable by up to seven years in prison, and class E felonies carry a penalty of up to four years in prison.
A class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000, and a class B misdemeanor carries a penalty of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. A class C misdemeanor is punishable by up to 15 days in jail and a fine of up to $700.
Luttman was arrested in April when a search warrant was executed at his Hillsboro home and many of the stolen items were recovered, according to the probable-cause statement.
He has been held at the St. Louis Justice Center since his arrest, court records said.
During the eight-month crime spree, Luttman allegedly stole vehicles that he used to burglarize storage units, homes, businesses and garages on Jamieson Avenue, Arthur Avenue, Hereford Street, Hoffman Avenue, Tholozan Avenue, Winona Avenue, Northwood Avenue, Potomac Street, Oleatha Avenue, McCausland Avenue, Morgan Ford Road, Rhode Avenue, Lindenwood Avenue, Vista Avenue, Wilson Avenue, South Kingshighway Boulevard, Lindwood Court, Hancock Avenue, Lansdowne Avenue, Manchester Avenue, Nottingham Place, Clifton Hills Drive, Marmaduke Avenue and Wenzlick Avenue, the report said.
Luttman stole items ranging from tools, furniture, lawn equipment, jewelry, fishing equipment, guns, televisions, liquor, a scooter, music instruments, speakers, clothing, iPads, computers and bikes. He often cut locks, broke windows and damaged doors to enter homes, garages, storage units and businesses, according to the report.
The probable-cause statement shows there were at least 50 victims during Luttman’s alleged crime spree, and he often allegedly was seen in surveillance video committing crimes. Many of the victims’ items have been returned.
The first theft listed in the probable-cause statement occurred on Aug. 12, 2023, when Luttman allegedly was seen in surveillance video stealing a 2014 Hyundai. The stolen vehicle was seen in surveillance videos in numerous reported burglaries after that.
Luttman’s primary targets appear to have been storage units, according to the report.
On one day, March 7, he allegedly cut the locks off seven storage units and stole jewelry, a four-point buck, coins, a Budweiser sign and more than $25,000 worth of video game collectibles from five different victims, the report said.
Luttman almost was arrested on March 17 after he returned to a garage where he allegedly stole a 1955 Citroen 2CV. Luttman ran away from an officer who was investigating the burglary, the probable-cause statement said.
The misdemeanor assault charge stems from an alleged storage unit burglary on March 23. The victim attempted to stop Luttman and another person, and Luttman while escaping allegedly hit the victim’s vehicle twice with a vehicle he was driving, the report said.
One of the victim’s stolen laptops was allegedly found in Luttman’s home, according to the report.
Luttman was already facing numerous felony and misdemeanor charges in St. Louis. On April 3, he was charged with five counts of second-degree burglary, three counts of stealing, two counts of first-degree property damage, one count of stealing a motor vehicle, two counts of first-degree trespassing and one count of second-degree property damage, court records show.
According to that case’s probable-cause statement, Luttman allegedly broke into and stole from a home and two businesses between January and April. Those alleged crimes were committed in the same area of south St. Louis as the latest charges filed against Luttman.
Prior to the April 3 charges, Luttman was facing charges for second-degree burglary, stealing and tampering with a motor vehicle in St. Louis following arrests in December 2022 and January 2023. He also was facing charges for possession of a control substance following a November 2021 arrest in O’Fallon; possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor driving while intoxicated following a July 2020 arrest in St. Louis County; and second-degree burglary, stealing of a motor vehicle and misdemeanor stealing following a December 2022 arrest in Clayton, court records show.
Luttman also was on probation after pleading guilty to two charges of possession of a controlled substance, second-degree burglary and stealing of a motor vehicle in May 2023 in Jefferson County, according to court documents.