ST. GEORGE — The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s help in identifying a suspect believed to be involved in the theft of all-terrain vehicles and other burglaries in communities on the Arizona strip.
One suspect believed to be involved in the thefts, 40-year-old Michael Joe Marcelino, of Littlefield, was arrested Wednesday on multiple felony charges of theft after stolen property was found at his residence in Littlefield, Arizona, but another suspect also believed to be involved remains outstanding and unidentified, according to a news release issued by Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.
The thefts were brought to investigators’ attention when a 2012 Polaris Razor was reported stolen Aug. 21 from a residence in Littlefield and another 2012 Polaris Razor was reported stolen from a different Littlefield residence Aug. 24.
Additionally, vehicle burglaries involving smashed windows and credit cards stolen from different residences in the Arizona towns of Littlefield, Beaver Dam, Little Jamaica and Desert Springs were reported in mid-to-late August.
One of the ATVs was recovered Wednesday after Mohave County Sheriff’s deputies found and pursued the suspects, who were allegedly driving the stolen ATVs along the Virgin River, according to the news release.
One of the suspects got the ATV they were driving stuck and bailed from the vehicle, at which point a deputy used the ATV to continue pursuing the suspects.
“At that time, due to the deep terrain in that area, their patrol units would have gotten stuck, the deputy jumped into the Razor and got it unstuck and continued tracking the suspects,” the news release states.
The suspects then reportedly ditched the other ATV in Beaver Dam, Arizona, and fled on foot.
“Subsequent investigations and tracking led the deputy driving the razor to the house where the stolen property and suspect Marcelino was located in the 100 block of Littlefield Lane in Littlefield,” the news release states.
A search of the house found stolen property from Arizona and Nevada, resolving multiple burglary cases and recovering thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen items.
Marcelino was taken into custody without incident and booked into Mesquite Detention Center in Nevada on two counts of theft of means of transportation, two counts of burglary, four counts of theft of a credit card and eight counts of theft, all felonies.
The other male suspect, shown in the photo in this report, remains at large. The image was captured from a video surveillance tape in which the suspect is sitting in the driver’s seat of the Polaris Razor reported stolen Aug. 21.
Anyone with information regarding the identity or whereabouts of the subject is asked to contact the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office at 800-526-1911 or the Silent Witness tip line at 888-227-8780.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.
Thanks to the homeowner whose video equipment captured a very good image of this guy, there is a great chance he will be identified. This is a perfect example of how a modest investment can yield a very good quality image.
Normally all you need to look for is the person with the drug habit they need finance, but then we are talking Littlefield / Beaver Dam area…..