HIGHFILL — Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputies recently recovered thousands of dollars in stolen coins that may be part of a bigger theft ring after they received a call from the Highfill Police Department about coins found in a vehicle, incident to arrest.

Highfill police arrested Terry Lynn McGarrah in connection with possession of methamphetamine, according to Kenneth Paul, an investigator with the Sheriff’s Office. McGarrah had three bags of coins in his vehicle and Highfill police called the Sheriff’s Office to see if it had any cases concerning stolen coins, Paul said.

The Sheriff’s Office received a theft report from Alan Hulet in February. Hulet said coins, cash, jewelry and power tools had been stolen from his home on Phillips Cemetery Road. Paul said authorities were able to determine the coins were fromHulet’s home. Investigators searched McGarrah’s home and found numerous other coins. Some were in a bucket filled with gasoline, Paul said.

McGarrah was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal mischief in the first degree, residential burglary and theft of property. McGarrah will also be charged in connection with the theft of boxes of flooring and a motorcycle. Investigators found the flooring and motorcycle at McGarrah’s home. The items were stolen from a home on Scoggins Road, Paul said.

Paul expected two other cases to be resolved and more arrests to be made as a result of McGarrah’s arrest. One case involves the theft of scrap metal and copper. Paul estimated the combined value in the those two cases at $400,000. Investigators were not yet ready to release details of the two cases.

News, Pages 7 on 03/16/2011