Photo: Chad Whitlow
A Baxter County man, 43-year-old Chad Whitlow of Mountain Home, has been arrested and charged with a felony count of residential burglary, after he allegedly loaded scrap metal into his truck at his neighbor’s home.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence along Timberland Road Thursday to meet the victim.
The victim had witnessed a male subject, later identified as Whitlow, loading scrap metal into a pickup. The victim said the suspect walked away from the scene into a wooded area, leaving the truck.
It was determined Whitlow lives along state Highway 5 north directly behind the victim.
Whitlow was taken into custody in the driveway of his residence and during an interview, allegedly admitted to taking the metal without the owner’s permission.
In an earlier report on April 3, a neighbor of the victim advised law enforcement of observing two male subjects load items into a car at a residence along Winrock Place.
The car left the residence, traveling north on Webber Road, with the neighbor following.
The neighbor lost sight of the car briefly, but found it a short time later in a driveway along County Road 39.
Law enforcement was alerted to the residence along County Road 39, but the subjects had fled on foot.
Deputies located items in the vehicle belonging to the victim who had followed the duo. The abandoned car was registered to Whitlow’s wife.
While at the Chadwick residence at the time of his arrest, an investigator questioned his wife about her vehicle. She reportedly said her husband had driven it on April 3 to “go fishing with a friend.” The woman said she was under the impression the vehicle had broken down and was at the friend’s house. Unknown to the woman, her car was impounded at the sheriff’s office when it was found abandoned.
In addition to the felony count, Whitlow faces misdemeanor counts of theft of property and criminal trespass.
His bond was set at $15,000.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI