A Boone County man has been arrested following reports of multiple thefts. Thirty-nine-year-old Travis Rae Wagoner is facing charges of breaking or entering, theft of property, criminal mischief and criminal trespass.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office was notified of several incidences where items were stolen from a bridge construction site along Arkansas Highway 7 South near Carr Court.
On February 14, investigators met with the construction company’s owner, who told them the locks on one of their equipment trailers had been broken, and approximately $24,000 worth of tools and equipment had been stolen.
Then on March 14, more tools and equipment were reported stolen from the job site. The company owner had no suspects at the time and was advised by authorities to install security cameras to capture photos of the thief. Investigators noted due to tracks in the clay mud, it appeared the suspect had driven a dually truck.
And on March 25, gas cans, a Stealth Cam cellular game camera and approximately 15 sixteen-foot-long 2×4 boards were allegedly stolen from a trailer on the job site. Deputies found a pair of bolt cutters on the edge of AR Hwy. 7 S. and a security camera inside the trailer captured photos of the suspect.
The photos showed a male wearing what appeared to be blue jeans, a hooded sweatshirt and a ball cap. The man had his hood over his head, though his facial features were still visible. The suspect appeared to be holding the same bolt cutters recovered from the side of the road and wore his pants low, causing his stomach and buttocks to show.
Deputies took the photos to local lumber and hardware stores in an attempt to identify the suspect. Two individuals interviewed stated they believed the suspect to be Wagoner. Deputies found Wagoner’s Facebook page and noticed he had the same facial features as the suspect in the photos. Deputies made contact with Wagoner to confirm his identity.
On March 26, deputies executed a search warrant at Wagoner’s residence. During the search, deputies and employees from the construction company identified and recovered approximately $13,000 in tools and materials stolen and they observed the identifying numbers and markings on the tools had been painted over. They were also able to confirm the numbers on the lumber matched those still on the job site. Deputies also recovered clothing items Wagoner was believed to have been wearing during the break-in on March 25. The clothing was still wet as it had been raining during the time of the break-in as well as covered in clay matching the construction site.
Wagoner was booked and released from the Boone County Detention Center on a $25,000 bond. He faces two felony counts of breaking or entering, one felony count of theft of property, a two misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief, two counts of Class A criminal trespass and one misdemeanor count of Class C criminal trespass.
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