“Sledgehammer burglars” caught in the act | Image by Grapevine Police Department, posted 07/10/25/Facebook

The Grapevine Police Department nabbed a pair of convenience store thieves in an undercover bust this week.

Grapevine detectives arrested 40-year-old Anthony Johnson and 41-year-old Perry Busby earlier this week, said the department’s media manager, Amanda McNew, to The Dallas Express. She referred to them as the “sledgehammer burglars” for their method of robbing convenience stores in Arlington and Grapevine.

Busby is currently in the Tarrant County Jail, facing six counts of “burglary of a building,” according to jail records. His bond is $9,000 total. Johnson was booked for three counts of burglary, but according to McNew, he posted bond.

The suspects were linked to a string of ten convenience store burglaries that began on May 14, according to McNew. Each time, they would use a sledgehammer to break the glass door, then steal cash and cigarettes. This, along with the suspect descriptions, led detectives to connect two burglaries in Grapevine – one that occurred on May 29 and another on June 11.

“During the investigation, Grapevine detectives learned of similar cases in Arlington and began working closely with their department,” McNew said. Grapevine and Arlington detectives and crime analysts worked together, which led them to identify a suspect vehicle and two suspects.

Grapevine detectives launched an “undercover surveillance operation” against Johnson and Busby on July 9, according to McNew. They “caught them in the act of a break-in” at an Arlington business.

“The suspects tried unsuccessfully to get away and were arrested by officers,” McNew said.

Grapevine police celebrated the bust on their Facebook page.

“Thanks to Arlington Police detectives and crime analysts for our partnership and teamwork in this case,” officials wrote. “Great work, everyone.”