CEDAR CITY— Police have arrested two men in connection with multiple storage unit burglaries in Cedar City.
Kurtis William Paul, 31, was booked into Iron County Jail shortly after noon on Saturday, while Robbie Thompson Lawson, 27, was booked shortly after midnight on Sunday.
According to probable cause statements filed in support of their arrests, the men are accused of stealing items on multiple occasions from two storage rental locations.
The more recent string of thefts reportedly occurred at Epic Storage, where four units were broken into between May 12 and May 23. Surveillance video from the business showed two men in a van entering via the gate, cutting the locks off storage unit doors and removing several power tools and other items.
Based on several distinguishing features of the van, police were able to trace it to Paul’s residence in Cedar City. Investigators served a search warrant on Paul’s residence on May 24 and on Lawson’s residence three days later. At both locations, police found items that had been reported stolen from at least two of the storage units.
“A large amount of property was also located in the residence, that other residents told officers had been stolen by Robbie and Kurtis over the past several months,” the arresting officer wrote in the affidavit, noting that the total value of the stolen items exceeded $5,000. Among the items recovered was a Can-Am four-wheeler off-road vehicle.
Investigators were also able to connect the two men to the burglaries of several storage units that had been reported on April 26 at Fort Knox Storage near 5600 West and 600 North. Among the items reported stolen were televisions, drones, video game systems and a Honda ATV. Those cases were investigated by Iron County Sheriff’s Office.
Both men are being held without bail in Iron County Jail as they await their initial court appearances in connection with their cases. Each faces multiple felony counts, including burglary, theft and criminal mischief. Paul also faces misdemeanor drug possession charges.
Additionally, Lawson faces a felony theft of a firearm count for allegedly stealing a gun owned by Paul. As he was being interviewed by police, Paul reported his handgun had been stolen; later, as officers were at Lawson’s residence, the weapon was located in a field a short distance from where Lawson’s arrest was taking place.
This report is based on statements from court documents and law enforcement officials 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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