A case involving a break-in at a storage unit and damage to a teapot was set to be heard by a jury late last week but 43-year-old Natasha Gilbert pled guilty to the charges against her during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court last Monday (January 27).
Gilbert who lists an address in Flippin was arrested, along with a 44-year-old male. Court documents show that both Gilbert and her male companion listed the same address at the time of the incident.
A case that was opened on the male was dismissed by the state at the request of the victim in early January.
Gilbert pled guilty to charges of breaking or entering and second-degree criminal mischief. She appeared hesitant to take the plea offered to her, but finally did so.
In early May 2023, a Baxter County sheriff’s deputy went to a storage complex on Highway 62 West to investigate a suspicious vehicle parked on the property.
The deputy began searching units that had no outside lock and found Gilbert and the male inside one.
Gilbert is alleged to have said she had permission from the person renting the unit to be inside and that she had been given a key to the outside lock. She also told the deputy she wasn’t to be in the unit unless the renter was present.
When the victims arrived on scene, they said it did not appear anything had been stolen, but a teapot had been damaged. Gilbert said she had stepped on it.
The renters also said no one had been given permission to be in the unit and that they did not know Gilbert and McCormack.
In the probable cause affidavit, investigators wrote that “multiple items had been moved to the front of the unit.” There was also a bag that was said to contain jewelry.
Without giving the source of the information, the affidavit also claims that the items “were ready to be removed by the suspects but luckily were discovered by law enforcement before the items could be taken.”
A green bag claimed to be owned by the suspects and allegedly containing a flashlight, wrench, screwdriver and cigarette lighter was also located at the scene.
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