Pocatello man arrested in connection to numerous vehicle burglaries

POCATELLO — A second man has been arrested in connection to a string of September vehicle burglaries in Pocatello.

Trevor John Taft, 30, has been charged with felonies for burglary and criminal possession of a financial transaction card, court records show.

Chubbuck police responded to reports of a burglary around 3:45 a.m. Sept. 23 on the 4100 block of Hawthorne Road, according to an affidavit of probable cause. A witness described two men in dark sweatshirts driving a Ford Explorer. He said the men broke into a white Ford F250.

When they arrived, officers noted that the driver-side door of the Ford F250 in the area was “open completely,” the affidavit said. The rear window of the truck was shattered, and a center console safe had been pried open. Officers also noted that the Ford’s radio was missing.

Upon further investigation, officers determined that the men were attempting to steal the truck and, in doing so, had damaged the truck’s ignition.

Officers spoke with the witness, who said that he saw two men trying to break into his vehicle around 3:30 a.m. The witness described the two men wearing all black with black hats. He said when he realized the men were trying to enter his vehicle, he sounded the vehicle’s alarm which sent the two men running.

A short time later, the witness said, the two men returned and broke into the F250, which was parked next to his vehicle. He yelled at the men, who again ran away.

He said he saw the men try to open other vehicle doors in the area before leaving the area in the Explorer.

While searching the area, officers found a yellow Chevrolet Camaro that appeared to have been “rummaged through at some point.”

Officers also found a man in all black who spoke with officers. He told officers he had been dumpster-diving in the area and had not been involved in the thefts or heard anything suspicious.

Because the witness could not identify the man as being involved in the burglaries, officers allowed the man to leave.

Officers spoke with a property manager, who identified the owner of the F250. The property manager also told officers that the Camaro had been abandoned in the parking lot for around three years and that the owner was no longer in the country.

While speaking with the owner of the F250, officers received a call regarding another burglary on Rainbow Lane. A caller provided officers with a description of the burglars matching that of the men involved in the Hawthorne Road burglary.

The second victim told officers that two men got into his vehicle and took his wallet.

A credit card inside the wallet was later used to get gas, according to the affidavit.

While en route to the second burglary, officers saw an Expedition matching the one the witness at the first burglary described. Other officers were called to pursue the Expedition.

Officers followed the Expedition but lost sight of it. They later found it abandoned and running on Lish Street.

Officers searched the Expedition and area but couldn’t find any men matching the descriptions provided. Inside the van, they found several items victims said had been taken from the burglarized vehicles. They also found two walkie-talkie radios still on and tuned to the same channel.

The Expedition was taken back to Chubbuck Police Department for analysis.

Officers later identified the two men involved in the burglaries as Taft and 25-year-old Christian Lee McBee.

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After he was arrested in connection to other burglaries, Chubbuck detectives interviewed McBee at Bannock County Jail.

McBee told detectives that he acted alone and was breaking into vehicles to get money for food and meth. He briefly explained what had occurred the morning of Sept. 23 but did not remember much because he was high at the time, the affidavit says.

He said he took the Expedition from “somewhere” in Pocatello.

When detectives told McBee they knew Taft had been involved, he began providing additional information about the incidents. He said that the two went to multiple gas stations, using stolen bank cards to make purchases and stealing items. He said he could not remember how many vehicles the two had broken into, adding that they had also stolen some items, including the walkie talkies, from Walmart.

After being informed that additional charges would be added to the nine he was already facing, McBee “became upset and stated he did not want to speak anymore,” the affidavit says.

Additional felony charges for grand theft, burglary and two counts of receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle have been filed against McBee.

A warrant for Taft’s arrest was issued. He was arrested by Bannock County Sheriff’s deputies.

Though McBee and Taft have been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean they committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

If Taft is found guilty, he could face up to 15 years in prison. If McBee is found guilty, he could face over 100 years in prison.

A preliminary hearing was waived regarding the charges against McBee. District court arraignment has not yet been scheduled.

Taft is scheduled to appear in court before Magistrate Judge Carol Tippi Jarman for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 7.