Photo: Daniel Ray Holmes
A Baxter County man, 59-year-old Daniel Ray Holmes of Cotter, has been charged with commercial burglary in connection with an incident where he and a second suspect allegedly entered a Lakeview business and removed a number of items.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the store manager of the Valero station on Arkansas Highway 178 in Lakeview arrived for work shortly before 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 9. She reported observing a red pickup truck with a small trailer in front of the building with gaming machines and some cigarettes inside. It appeared someone was inside the business, leading her to call 911.
When a Lakeview police officer arrived at the store, he noted a padlock had been cut and a steel door kicked in.
Video surveillance equipment revealed images of the truck and two male suspects. The shorter of the two males had on light brown work boots, blue jeans, a gray hoodie sweatshirt with a design on the front and back and a blue face mask. The second had on tennis shoes, blue jeans, a blue flannel shirt, a black or dark blue hoodie jacket and a blue beanie/mask.
The two had reportedly taken a display class of knives and a few lighters from the store. In addition, two cartons and some loose cigarettes, two cases of butane lighter fuel, a security camera and the cash register drawer were missing.
The following day, law enforcement was advised of the truck’s location in Cotter.
Upon investigation, in the front seat of the vehicle, in plain view, was a blue face mask. On the porch of the residence along Harding Boulevard was a light brown work boot. The pattern of the shoe matched the footprint on the door of the Lakeview business that had been kicked in.
Officers made contact at the residence with Holmes, a parolee with a search waiver on file.
With his wife’s permission, officers entered a bedroom in the residence where they located a gray hoodie sweatshirt with the same design front and back as the garment on the store video.
As Holmes was being taken into custody, he reportedly told the officers the knife display was in his shop. It was retrieved along with some cigarettes.
Holmes allegedly confessed to the crime during an interview at the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office and named his co-conspirator.
Holmes has also been charged with theft of property and first-degree criminal mischief.
He has since posted bond of $15,000.
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