By Alliance Police Department
ALLIANCE, Neb. - Chief David Leavitt announces that the Alliance Police Department has arrested and cited Joshua Tyrone Dawn (M/N DOB 10/30/1992) in connection with a series of criminal incidents occurring throughout the City of Alliance between March 7, 2026, and May 5, 2026.
Over the course of less than two months, Dawn has been arrested or cited in four separate criminal investigations involving a stolen motor vehicle, trespassing, disorderly conduct, shoplifting, burglary-related offenses, threats toward residents and threats toward law enforcement officers.
March 7, 2026
At approximately 7:02 p.m., officers responded to a report of a 2000 Chevy Blazer stolen after the owner left the vehicle running while delivering food at Meadows Trailer Court.
Using location services from the victim’s cellphone, officers tracked the vehicle to the 700 block of Mississippi Avenue, where it was recovered a short time later. Joshua Dawn was identified as the suspect and taken into custody.
An open alcohol container was located inside the stolen vehicle, and officers determined Dawn was operating while his driver’s license status was suspended and revoked.
Recommended charge: Theft by Unlawful Taking
April 30, 2026
At approximately 11:15 p.m., an officer on patrol observed Joshua Dawn urinating on a public sidewalk near 5th Street and Mississippi Avenue.
During the investigation, officers learned Dawn had returned to a residence on Mississippi Avenue after previously being trespassed from the property.
A search incident to arrest located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, alcoholic beverages and a THC vape device.
Recommended charges: Disorderly Conduct, Criminal Trespass 2nd Degree, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Marijuana Less Than One Ounce
May 1, 2026
At approximately 6:48 a.m., Alliance Police responded to YesWay after employees discovered merchandise had been stolen during the previous evening.
Video surveillance allegedly showed Joshua Dawn consuming alcohol inside the business and concealing merchandise in his clothing before leaving without paying.
The investigation determined approximately $120.07 worth of merchandise was stolen, including tobacco products, energy drinks and candy. Some of the stolen merchandise was later recovered during the booking process at the Box Butte County Jail.
Recommended charges: Theft Less Than $500, Possession of Stolen Property
May 5, 2026
At approximately 4:10 p.m., Alliance Police officers responded to multiple calls involving Joshua Dawn attempting to unlawfully enter occupied residences, trespassing on private property, threatening residents and causing disturbances in residential neighborhoods.
During the investigation, officers received reports that Dawn attempted to unlawfully enter an occupied residence while a mother and child were inside, grabbed a neighbor’s cat by the neck, entered multiple private properties without permission, entered an occupied residence while making threatening statements and made threats toward officers during his arrest.
Joshua Dawn was taken into custody and transported to the Box Butte County Jail.
Recommended charges: Burglary, Criminal Trespass (3 counts), Disturbing the Peace (3 counts), Possession/Consumption of an Open Alcohol Container
Chief David Leavitt issued the following statement:
“The Alliance Police Department will not tolerate criminals terrorizing our community, threatening our residents, or attempting to invade the safety of people inside their own homes. These incidents involved escalating criminal behavior, repeated disregard for the law, threats toward citizens and threats toward police officers. Our officers acted quickly to protect the public and hold this individual accountable. We hope the judicial system takes these offenses seriously and that this suspect faces meaningful jail time. The residents of Alliance deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods and in their homes, and this department will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who threaten that safety.”