A career criminal dubbed the “Snake Burglar” was arrested Wednesday for allegedly committing over 70 thefts throughout Riverside.

The suspect was identified as Christopher Michael Jackson, 32, a local transient, according to the Riverside Police Department.

Jackson’s signature move typically involved removing a windowpane to break into a local business and upon entering, he would crawl along the floor to avoid triggering alarm systems or motion sensors, police said.

He would then cut open the business’ safe and take any money inside before fleeing.

Since July 2021, police say Jackson was responsible for over 70 commercial burglaries throughout the Riverside area.

Jackson had been arrested several times before and was recently sentenced to “six sentences of 16 months in jail after pleading guilty to 23 felonies,” according to arrest documents. “However, laws or orders pertaining to overcrowding in the jail system allowed him to only serve less than 10 days in jail.”

Since Jackson’s recent release in November 2022, he has “continued victimizing more businesses,” authorities said.

On Wednesday, officers responded to a burglary in process at a business on the 3900 block of Tyler Street.

A security company monitoring the business noticed a male suspect peering inside and tampering with the weather stripping on the window, police said. When officers arrived, they discovered Jackson at the scene where he was taken into custody.

Jackson had seven outstanding felony warrants for his arrest for prior commercial burglaries committed, police said. He is currently being held on $100,000 bail.

“Legislative changes over the past decade, including AB109, Prop 47 and Prop 57, have made it increasingly difficult to ensure the safety of our citizens, but that does not stop our tireless efforts to do so,” said Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez. “We must, as a community, advocate for ourselves and each other to pressure state legislators to make sound reasonable changes in these laws to protect our residents and businesses. We do not want more punishment, but we do want more safety. Safety from being terrorized by habitual thieves feasting on us and on our justice system.”

Anyone with additional information regarding this case can contact Detective Jessica Iniguez at 951-353-7952 or JIniquez@RiversideCA.gov, Detective Vanessa Hardin at 951-826-5376 or VCHardin@RiversideCA.gov, or Detective Scott Levesque at 951-353-7216 or SLevesque@RiversideCA.gov.

Anonymous tips can be emailed to RPDTips@RiversideCA.gov.