ST. GEORGE — Two men are in jail after a homeowner called police to report a burglary in progress early Thursday morning. One of the suspects had been released from jail less than 24 hours before.
On Thursday officers were dispatched to a burglary in progress on West Diagonal Street in St. George shortly after 3 a.m. after the homeowner called 911 reporting that someone was attempting to gain entry into the residence by reaching in through a window.
On officer was nearby when the call was dispatched and arrived at the home within minutes. He observed two men walking down a driveway from the rear of the home toward the street. Both men were stopped by police, one of which was walking away quickly when he encountered the officers.
Officers were able to identify both men: 33-year-old Thane Savage and 24-year-old Tanner Mcbride. During a conversation shortly after, the homeowner told officers that he knew McBride but had not seen him in some time. He said he did not know who Savage was but confirmed that neither suspect had any reason to be in his home or attempting to climb through his window.
Through the course of the investigation, officers recovered a metal bar that was modified into an “L” shape which was allegedly used to gain entry into one of the windows as well as a butterfly knife used to pry open the window, the blade of which had broken off and then fell into the residence.
Also near the damaged window officers found a cell phone they later learned belonged to Savage.
While speaking to the suspects, the report states that Savage told officers he was the one who used the knife to pry open the window when the blade broke off. It was McBride, he said, that used the bent metal bar to pry open the window.
McBride was interviewed separately and told officers he was at the home to check on the homeowner who he thought may be overdosing, claiming he had called and texted the resident repeatedly to no avail, which is when he went to the house, according to the report.
He also said he called the friend by name as he knocked on the door, but when he got no answer he found an open window and attempted to climb through it to enter the home. Later, he gave inconsistent statements as to how he entered the home, saying he used the knife to gain entry, and then the metal bar, and so on, the officer wrote in the report.
Back at the scene, officers were able to confirm that none of the windows had been left unsecured, nor had the homeowner received any calls or text messages from either suspect. The homeowner also said he never heard anyone yelling his name at any point during the incident. He did, however, see one of the suspect’s arms coming through the window, he told the officers, according to the report.
Both men were arrested. During a search of McBride prior to transport, officers recovered a pipe and drug paraphernalia. Both men were transported to Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility, each booked on multiple charges.
Both suspects face one second-degree felony count of burglary of a dwelling and two misdemeanors – criminal mischief and manufacture/possession of burglary tools. Savage also faces a misdemeanor charge of possession of paraphernalia.
Savage, who had less than 24 hours earlier been released from jail, was arrested Jan. 15 for second-degree felony theft, felony drug possession and several misdemeanor charges related to a vehicle theft. He was released Jan. 20 after posting $5,000 bail.
Following the most recent incident, both suspects remain in custody on $10,000 bail.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. 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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