Pea Ridge Museum burglarized

Youths charged

The Pea Ridge Museum was burglarized, a door damaged and donation money stolen, according to Pea Ridge Police.

On Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015, at about 7:30 p.m., police responded to a burglary call at the Pea Ridge Museum on North Curtis Avenue. Volunteers who run the museum and a witness who observed part of the crime taking place were interviewed. Officers were advised someone had broken into the building and removed the donation box and were believed to have fled on foot.

Further investigation led to finding a side door that had been kicked in where the suspects made entry into the museum, according to police. The donation box was found outside the building and it appeared to have been stomped on as reported by an eye witness and part of the donations had possibly been removed from the box. Officers continued the investigation following leads and within four hours had identified and arrested two male juveniles involved in the burglary.

"We greatly appreciate any help from the general public; in this particular case, they were able to see a crime as it was happening and called us with important details that led to the case being quickly resolved," Police Chief Ryan Walker.

While interviewing the juveniles, it was also determined they had been involved earlier in the evening with a criminal mischief call regarding windows being broken and illegal trespass into an unoccupied house on Dodge Street.

A third male juvenile was also arrested in regards to the incident on Dodge Street was not involved in the museum burglary, according to police. Two juveniles, ages 14 and 15, were charged with felony commercial burglary, two counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief and misdemeanor trespass, according to police.

The third juvenile was charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief and misdemeanor criminal trespass in connection with the incident on Dodge Street.

The stolen funds from the donation box were recovered and returned to museum officials.

General News on 09/02/2015