Photo: Blake Lewis
A teenager implicated in residential burglaries in Baxter, Boone and Marion counties has been declared a fugitive.
Eighteen-year-old Blake Lewis of Harrison failed to make an appearance in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday, and a failure to appear warrant was issued.
A representative from the company that posted Lewis’ bond said he apparently fled out of state. The company is in the process of tracking him down.
According to the probable cause affidavit, thousands of dollars in property were allegedly stolen in the break-ins.
In Baxter County, a burglary was reported after homeowners returned to their residence Feb. 9 to find their front door standing open.
The overhead garage door had been forced open, and a door connecting the garage to the residence had been kicked in.
The day after the Baxter County burglary was called in, officials in Marion County reported they had arrested Lewis and a female minor. The pair was said to be in possession of allegedly stolen items.
Using photos, the victims of the Mountain Home robbery were able to identify the items as their property.
The stolen items included musical instruments, jewelry, clothing, a video recorder and purses. A $600 necklace remained missing at the time the probable cause affidavit was written.
In all, the victim estimated the value of the stolen items at more than $6,000.
Lewis and the juvenile are also charged with residential burglaries in Marion County reported Feb. 10.
According to the probable cause affidavit, a home along Estes Street in Yellville was broken into with the loss estimated at almost $5,000.
Video surveillance captured a male and female attempting to use a debit card allegedly stolen from the residence. The license plate on their vehicle led investigators to Lewis and the female juvenile.
They were arrested and charges were filed for the burglaries in Baxter and Marion counties. The female was turned over to Juvenile Services.
At the time of her arrest, the female juvenile was listed as a runaway.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Lewis admitted he had committed burglaries in the area.
He was alleged to have said the pair would drive around until they found a home that appeared unoccupied. The female juvenile would go to the door and knock. If no one answered, Lewis would kick open the door.
In addition to property, authorities said Lewis and the minor female were in possession of checks from different victims. The checks had been forged and were ready to try and cash. The checks were allegedly made out for thousands of dollars.
In 2019, Lewis, apparently acting alone, was alleged to have broken into two homes in Boone County.
In one of the burglaries, a custom made wedding ring — valued at $12,000 — was among the items taken. Lewis was initially connected to the Boone County burglaries when he sold a diamond ring to a pawnshop in Harrison.
The pawnshop later contacted the Boone County Sheriff’s Office and reported Lewis had returned to the store and offered to sell weapons.
Deputies went to the business and arrested Lewis. The firearms he was attempting to sell were identified as among those taken from one of the Boone County break-ins.
The cases in Baxter, Boone and Marion counties remain active.
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