Escaped Convict Caught After String of Burlington, Vt., Robberies, Police Say

Police arrested a man today after multiple, patterned burglaries in downtown Burlington, Vermont.

Lance F. Mason, 49, was a suspect for a number of these incidents. Mason was previously arrested in 2015 and 2017 for several similar burglaries. Mason has multiple previous felony convictions and known to be on escape status with the Department of Corrections.

Earlier this fall, he had been out on furlough for several days when he was suspected of cutting off his GPS ankle monitor bracelet. A warrant was issued for Mason on November 13, 2019. Shortly after he escaped, Burlington Police began receiving multiple reports of burglaries to businesses in the downtown area, in which large sums of cash were stolen.

Authorities say Mason targeted the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Burlington Bay Market & Cafe and Piesanos Pizza Restaurant.

Burlington Police located and arrested Mason in a stairway of an apartment building on Main Street in downtown Burlington. His arrest has been a priority for the Burlington Street Crimes Unit. Members of the Unit worked on tracking down Mason.

Mason is also a suspect in multiple other commercial burglaries and larcenies in the downtown area. Officers are continuing to investigate the crimes.

“Preventing crime and disorder is a shared responsibility,” said Deputy Chief Jon Murad in a release. “By working with law-enforcement colleagues and local business partners, Sergeant Nguyen and his team were able to apprehend Mr. Mason quickly and without incident. As our partners in the criminal justice system take the next steps to obtain appropriate justice for Mr. Mason, we hope our neighbors will not have to worry about being victimized by him further.”