The routine stop of a pickup truck stolen in the upscale Country Club section of Wichita Falls, Texas led to the bust of a burglary ring, according to Wichita County Sheriff David Duke today.
Duke said the chain of events which led to several burglary and drug arrests was started when deputies alertly stopped the stolen pickup during the early morning hours of Friday in the Floral Heights neighborhood of Wichita Falls, according to an article in today's Wichita Falls Times Record News newspaper and reports by both local television news stations.
Deputies realized something suspicious was afoot when all three occupants of the vehicle abandoned the vehicle following the stop. Two men sprinted away under the veil of darkness which blanketed the city around 4 a.m.
A woman passenger was left behind by the two men leaving the woman to face sheriff's deputies on her own. Her two companions disappeared into the darkness as deputies placed handcuffs on her wrists.
Deputies didn't give up on the fleeing men though as they were successful in catching one of her male companions and arresting him before he could escape the Floral Heights area.
The other man did temporarily escape into the black night.
His freedom wa short-lived though as he was arrested a few minutes later at the Econo Lodge near where Central Freeway crosses above Seymour Highway by deputies.
But the investigation didn't end with the arrest of the third of the three suspects stopped in the stolen vehicle.
The woman was determined to be a former dispatcher, according to the Times Record News article by Lynn Walker and Alyssa Johnston.
The investigation proceeded further to a duplex on Burnett Street where deputies kicked in the door after obtaining a search warrant around 10 a.m. today.
Items found by deputies at this location were believed to be stolen in a recent wave of burglaries across this North Texas city of 105,000.
The ongoing investigation then led deputies to the Circle Inn on Seymour Highway where they arrested four more suspects.
Duke indicated drugs were found in the room searched at the Circle Inn.
The Wichita Falls Police Department also played a major role in this investigation.
Detectives from the WFPD were at the scene working on possible leads at the Circle Inn.
Duke said police officers from WFPD were involved in investigating the burglaries.
Duke further said the burglaries may have occurred in the heart of the Country Club section of Wichita Falls.
Harrison Street and Fairway Boulevard in Country Club were reported targets.
Anyone with further information regarding the Country Club burglary ring should contact either the Wichita County Sheriff's Office or the Wichita Falls Police Department.
Anyone interested in receiving updates of future Wichita Falls law enforcement and public safety articles may click on the subscribe link above this article. Readers may also follow me on facebook and twitter.
Comments