Law enforcement officers arrested three men early Wednesday they say are linked to at least two recent burglaries.

Extra patrols by the Statesboro-Bulloch County Crime Suppression Team, along with Statesboro and Georgia Southern University police and Bulloch County sheriff's deputies, paid off Wednesday when CST Capt. Jason Kearney spotted a suspicious man in The Landings subdivision, Bulloch County Sheriff Lynn Anderson said in a news release issued Monday.

On Wednesday, shortly after 12:01 a.m., Kearney saw the man in the residential area off Burkhalter Road near Langston Chapel Road. The man, identified as Rodney Miller Jr., 22, of Chandler Road, was wearing latex gloves and carrying a concealed handgun, Anderson said.

A nearby vehicle, discovered to be connected to Miller, contained items stolen from a previous burglary, Anderson said.

A second man, Caleb Watkins, 22, of Landings Parkway, was arrested a short time later in connection with the burglary, the sheriff said.

A third man, Pierre Bass, 22, of Chandler Road, was also connected to the crime and arrested Wednesday near the university, Anderson said.

The three were also linked to a recent Robin Hood Trail burglary being investigated by Statesboro police, Anderson said.

Miller was charged with first-degree burglary, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, loitering/prowling, public intoxication and carrying a concealed weapon.

Both Watkins and Bass were charged with first-degree burglary. All three were taken to the Bulloch County Jail to await further court action, Anderson said.

The arrests were the result of extra patrol and vigilance to areas around the university and elsewhere for the holidays, the sheriff said.

"As part of its mandate to reduce crime trends, the Statesboro-Bulloch Crime Suppression Team was tasked with preventing burglaries in the area of student housing over the GSU Thanksgiving break," Anderson said. "Each year, thieves attempt to take advantage of the vacation period to steal from homes and apartments."

This year, law enforcement teamed up to aggressively address the ongoing problem and "to hit these areas hard in search of suspicious persons and activity," he said.

Anyone who sees suspicious persons or activity is asked to contact the Bulloch County Sheriff's office at (912)764-8888 or Statesboro police at (912) 764-9911.

Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.