ST. GEORGE – The St. George Police arrested two people Wednesday for alleged drug possession and multiple cases of burglary.
The St. George Police said in a statement that officers responded to a suspicious vehicle and person call in the area of Bloomington Hills Drive near the St. George Golf Club. A maintenance worker in the area reported seeing a white GMC van driving very slow near a maintenance shed.
A person who was dressed all in black, later identified as 34-year-old Robert Wharton, was also seen walking in the area. Officers were able to locate the white van which belongs to Wharton and was driven by 19-year-old Malory Jacobs. An investigation revealed that the two are associated.
“Both have had dealings with law enforcement (in the past),” St. George Sergeant Sam Despain said.
Officers searched the van and reported the the property inside the vehicle was identified as having been stolen during the past week. Property that was recovered includes, but is not limited to televisions, power tool, golf clubs, camping gear, compressors and all the property was stolen from local businesses and was valued between approximately $15,000 and $20,000.
Whether or not the two were solely working together or with a larger group is something St. George Police Department could not comment on.An investigation revealed that the two are associated.
Investigators were able to return the majority of the property back to the business owners and are uncertain of the motive at this time, Despain said.
According to the statement, St. George Police investigators believe Jacobs and Wharton are connected to 10 business burglary cases in the area. Investigators are looking into incidents beyond the past week to see if there are other cases Jacobs and Wharton may be linked to as well.
In addition to the stolen property, suspected methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and burglary tools were located inside the vehicle. Both were booked into the Washington County Jail and charged with multiple accounts of receiving stolen property, possession of burglary tools, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, but were not charged with drug dealing. Both had their first court appearances Thursday.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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Wonder if they are involved in the robbery at Furniture Row, which the police and the so called local paper (spectrum) did not write about.