Photo: Michael Joseph Thorne
A 19-year-old Mountain Home man pled guilty to a string of felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from a series of vehicle break-ins during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court last Tuesday.
Michael Joseph Thorne was sentenced to five years in prison, with three suspended and two to serve by Circuit Judge John Putman.
He was also order to pay $3,121 in restitution. The figure represents half of the total. The remainder will be paid by a co-defendant.
The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office reported receiving 13 complaints in a two-day period in early May regarding thefts from vehicles, most of which were parked in the driveway of the victims’ homes and were left unlocked.
In a number of the vehicles, nothing was taken, but items were reported to have been thrown around. The property alleged to have been stolen included a diamond ring, knives, backpack, cash and credit cards.
A victim was contacted by her credit card company on May 10 and told attempts had been made at the Mountain Home Walmart to purchase a “high-dollar item.”
Walmart loss prevention staff was contacted, and they confirmed three attempts had been made to use the card at the store, but all had been denied. Two young males were identified as trying to use the card shortly after 5 a.m. May 10.
Snapshots from the video were placed on social media and, in a short time, the sheriff’s office began receiving tips.
Thorne and 23-year-old Dakota Drzka of Mountain Home were identified as the two people in Walmart. In addition, video surveillance also captured pictures of the vehicle the pair were in, and investigators were able to tie the car to one of Drzkas relatives.
Photo: Dakota Drzka
Investigators reported Drzka lived in the same area where all 13 of the vehicle break-ins had happened.
When questioned, Drzka initially said he had just walked around with Thorne, but denied participating in the break-ins. He said he also did not know what Thorne was doing while he was near the vehicles. He finally admitted he had entered or been in close proximity to at least five of the vehicles.
Drzka is due to reappear in circuit court next on Jan. 23, with a jury trial now scheduled for the week of Jan. 27.
Thorne turned himself in at the Baxter County Detention Center just before midnight on May 10. At the time he was booked, Thorne refused to speak to investigators without an attorney present.
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