Photo: Blake Sutherland
Izard County authorities have recovered approximately $400,000 in stolen items, including automobiles, trailers and heavy construction and industrial equipment. Following the recovery, 35-year-old Blake Sutherland of Brockwell was taken into custody.
The owner of property on Newburg Road who resides out of state reported the theft of a 1966 Kenworth Day-Cab Truck with $100,000 or more in concrete construction equipment, a 1991 Jeep Wrangler, a gooseneck trailer with $80,000 worth of concrete construction stored inside, a Ford F350 flatbed with aluminum walk boards, scaffolding and an industrial generator. The three vehicles, two trailers, construction and industrial equipment were valued by the owner at $291,000.
After identifying a person of interest, search warrants were issued for properties on Chapel Hill and Jumbo roads.
When Izard County investigators arrived at the Jumbo location to speak with Sutherland, he fled.
While officers were identifying the items reported missing, they discovered additional items reported stolen out of Crittenden and Craighead counties. Another piece of equipment was reported stolen in Texas.
Officers worked well into the night Thursday and returned to both locations Friday and Saturday gathering evidence and making contact with various agencies that had reported the stolen equipment.
In addition to the stolen property, a glass smoking device and a Ziploc bag containing 29.8 grams of a white crystalline substance testing positive for methamphetamine were found at one of the locations.
On Friday, Sutherland was recognized as a passenger in a vehicle near the Melbourne court square, and initiated a traffic stop. Before the driver could come to a complete stop, Sutherland “bailed” from the vehicle and was apprehended by an officer a short time later.
He was then transported to the Izard County Detention Center, where it was discovered he had a small amount of methamphetamine and a smoking device on his person.
Sutherland has been charged with
• theft of property (four counts), a Class B felony;
• theft by receiving (two counts), a Class B felony;
• possession of a controlled substance, a Class B;
• theft of property (two counts), a Class C felony;
• theft by receiving, (four counts), a Class C felony;
• furnishing a prohibited article (two counts), a Class C felony;
• theft by receiving (three counts), a Class D felony;
• theft by receiving, a Class D felony; and
• breaking or entering (five counts), a Class D felony.
His bond has been set at $400,000.
In a post-Miranda interview, Sutherland reportedly confessed he had removed the items reported stolen from Newburg Road. Sutherland said he had purchased all the items in a “bundle” for $20,000.
Sutherland also stated he had purchased the Jonesboro items from a man named “Chip” for $10,000. He said he met the man on the side of the interstate to conduct the transaction.
He also claimed he purchased the stolen tractor and boat from Crittenden County from the same person, and that he had purchased the Kubota mini excavator from “Chip” for $6,000.
Sutherland said he believed all the items he “purchased” from Chip were stolen, due to his alleged seller being a “shady character.” Sutherland confessed a Honda ATV, crossbow and Marlin 30-30 rifle were stolen from a residence on Jumbo Road by an unknown female who gave them to him.
Crittenden County Sheriff Mike Allen says Izard County authorities recovered a boat and tractor that was reported stolen in his county.
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