Inkom woman charged with numerous felonies for allegedly breaking into more than 15 cars
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INKOM — A woman accused of stealing guns, money, IDs and an LDS Temple recommend from numerous cars has been charged with multiple felonies.
April Nichole Ruiz, 39, faces 16 felony counts of burglary, court records show.
The Bannock County Sheriff’s began receiving reports of vehicle burglaries in Inkom on Feb. 13, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Over the following 12 days, the office received 14 different reports of items — ranging from guns and keys to cash and miscellaneous items — being stolen from inside of vehicles.
Some of the victims provided officers with photos and videos of a woman rummaging through their cars. Deputies determined the woman seen in the footage was Ruiz, the affidavit says. She was placed under arrest on Feb. 25.
Deputies also spoke with a man who was with Ruiz at the time of her arrest. The man allegedly told officers Ruiz had taken items from several vehicles in the Inkom area. He also told officers where they could find one of the two guns reported stolen.
When deputies interviewed Ruiz, she told them she believes she broke into and stole items from around 20 vehicles in the Inkom area, the affidavit says. She admitted to stealing a gun and hiding it in her home. She also admitted to taking a second gun, but told deputies she did not know where that firearm was.
Deputies obtained a search warrant for Ruiz’s home. During their search, deputies found “several items” that had been reported stolen. The affidavit does not indicate whether or not the second gun was recovered.
While searching Ruiz’s home, deputies also found items that linked her to at least three additional vehicle burglaries to which she had not previously been tied.
Ruiz is being held at Bannock County Jail on separate bonds of $20,000 and $10,000, as well as a third bond of $10,000 for a drug possession charged filed the day of her arrest.
Though Ruiz has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If she is found guilty, Ruiz would face up to 10 years in prison for each charge.
She is scheduled to appear in court before Magistrate Judge Aaron Thompson for a preliminary hearing on April 23.