Attorney General Kamala D. Harris Announces 22-year prison sentence for Shovel Bandit

SAN FRANCISCO -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced that Morgan Hicks was sentenced to 22 years in state prison for identity theft and breaking into more than 20 homes in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties, often using a shovel.

Hicks pled guilty to 4 counts of residential burglary, 15 counts of receiving stolen property, 2 counts of identity theft and one count of grand theft auto on January 18th in the Monterey County Superior Court. He was sentenced on Friday.

Using a shovel to pry open doors, Hicks broke into over 20 homes in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties between June and September 2007. Among the items he stole were jewelry, credit cards, a loaded firearm, and in one instance a 2006 Toyota Solara. Hicks used the credit cards to rent motel rooms and buy food and other items at convenience stores.

Hicks was arrested in September 2007 and held for two years on a parole violation stemming from a 2004 conviction for possessing stolen property. He was later charged with 60 counts related to the multiple burglaries.

The investigation was conducted by the Monterey and Santa Cruz County Sheriff Departments.