Photo: Dennis Duane Wagers
A report of a man “dumpster diving” at a mini storage facility Wednesday evening led to the arrest of 63-year-old Dennis Wagers of Cotter.
Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery says a deputy from his department and an officer from the Gassville Police Department made contact with Wagers upon arrival at the scene along Main Street between Gassville and Cotter
Sheriff Montgomery says Wagers told the officers he was searching for his keys, after helping someone with a pop-up camper.
Officers noticed all the side compartments of an RV were open and asked Wagers why. They also noticed a flatbed trailer loaded with assorted camping gear between two RVs.
The officers asked Wagers where the items on the trailer were from, and he reportedly replied he placed them there because he thought his keys might have been in the compartment on the RV.
Officers then observed the vehicle Wagers was driving was loaded with assorted camping and fishing gear, and there were chairs, boxes and bags of other articles beside the vehicle waiting to be loaded.
Suspected marijuana was allegedly found inside the vehicle when it was later searched, leading to Wagers’ arrest.
The investigation continued into side compartments found to have been forced open on five different RVs.
Wagers was booked into the Baxter County Detention Center on felony charges of breaking or entering (five counts) and theft of property, as well as a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance (marijuana).
Bond for Wagers was set at $10,000, and he is set to appear in Baxter County Circuit Court later this month.
Montgomery says records indicate Wagers has been booked into the detention center eight times since 2012.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI