Pallet thieves linked to jewelry theft

GENTRY — Gentry police solved more than one case when they arrested two Rogers men for attempting to steal pallets from Spirit Trucking on April 4.

According to police reports, Jose Juan Martinez, 18, and Felipe Dejesus Ruiz, 20, were arrested and charged with misdemeanor theft, criminal trespass, theftby receiving and fleeing after they loaded pallets on their pickup truck and, when confronted, dumped the pallets and fled from responding police officers.

The pair allegedly attempted to elude police by turning off Arkansas Highway 59, parking their pickup truck and then fleeing on foot, according to police reports. A caller notified police where the truck had turned and, after a brieffoot chase, both were caught.

But the story was not over. In an inventory of the pair’s pickup truck after their arrest, pieces of jewelry were discovered which allegedly linked them to another crime in Siloam Springs.

According to police reports, a home had been burglarized earlier on the morning of April 4, with numerous pieces of jewelry taken, matching the jewelry in the pickup truck.