Four juvenile males -- three of whom do not have driver's licenses -- were arrested for stealing two city trucks on Jan. 17. Two were arrested Friday, Jan. 24, one was arrested Saturday, Jan. 25, and the fourth was arrested Monday, Jan. 27.
The theft occurred after midnight Jan. 18, police said. At 3:42 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, police were notified that a Pea Ridge city truck was crashed into the sandstone pillar supporting the arch over the entrance to the Gateway City Park. Nathan See, Street Department superintendent, found the Street Department parking area gate damaged, a window broken and keys stolen from the office and two trucks missing. Later that morning, police found the second truck on Greer Street, undamaged. An area resident found the keys later that day in the roadway.
Throughout the week, police discovered evidence and gained information that led to getting a search warrant for a residence on Hayden Road as well as an arrest warrant a 14-year-old male. On Friday, police searched his residence and arrested him for felony breaking and entering, felony theft of property and misdemeanor criminal mischief. He was booked into the Benton County Juvenile Detention Center. A 16-year-old was arrested for felony breaking and entering. He was cited and released.
On Saturday another 14-year-old was arrested at his home for felony breaking and entering, felony theft of property and misdemeanor criminal mischief. He was cited and released.
On Monday police arrested a 15-year-old for felony breaking and entering, felony theft of property, criminal mischief. He was booked into the Benton County Juvenile Detention Center.
Police explained that it takes time to get affidavits from the Benton County Prosecutor's Office, get them signed by a judge and then the warrants produced by the court.
"This could have turned out a whole lot worse, even deadly, due to inexperienced drivers behind the wheels of these two vehicles," Police Chief Tim Ledbetter said. "There could have been a collision, a pursuit ... any number of more severe things could have taken place."
Police said it appears that one of the boys had knowledge of the city's Street Department facilities from performing community service there.
"It's our belief that, with that knowledge, that's how this got started. One thing led to another and they broke into the building, stole the keys and stole the trucks," he said.
Police said they believe all four boys traveled in the two trucks out to Gateway where they damaged the city park grounds "doing donuts and spinning tires and at some point, the driver lost control, tore out some of a chain link fence and crashed head on into one of the sandstone pillars of the Gateway arch. It's our belief that the boys all loaded into the other truck and came back to town."
Damage to the city of Pea Ridge is in excess of $10,000, according to city officials.
"As soon as we started getting a substantial amount of leads, extra hands were called in to assist," Ledbetter said. "The team worked as a unit. I'm very proud of my officers for the diligence and time they dedicated to solving this in such a short time."
He said there were several reports of vehicles broken into during the same time frame. "We may get some leads towards solving those as well."
"These are just charges for Pea Ridge. There will still be charges connected with the Gateway arch pillar which will come from the Sheriff's Office. We've talked to some of the investigators and told them we'd forward our evidence to them," Ledbetter said.
"I think our guys have done a really good job," Mayor Jackie Crabtree said of the Police Department. "Their tenacity of working this case was really good. It's not just because it was a Street Department truck, that's the way they work."
The report from the Sheriff's Office was not available at press time.
General News on 01/29/2014