Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Trailer theft ends with 4 arrests in Orem

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily Herald
Four people were arrested Tuesday after being seen driving away with a camping trailer.

Orem police Lt. Doug Edwards said a resident of Monterey Drive in Orem called police at 2:44 a.m. Tuesday to report that four people were seen hooking up a 1991 tent trailer behind a green Jeep Cherokee and leaving the area. The witness reported that he didn't believe the people owned the trailer and thought they were stealing it.

"The witness was right," Edwards said, and police started searching for them.

Orem police Sgt. Steve Swenson spotted the Jeep pulling the trailer and noticed a Toyota 4Runner driving directly behind the stolen trailer, Edwards said. The trailer had been reported stolen Monday morning by the owner, who lives in the area of 1000 N. 800 East. As soon as Swenson got behind the two vehicles, the Toyota 4Runner drove down a side street.

Edwards said Swenson stayed with the stolen trailer and stopped the Jeep with another officer, while other officers tried to locate the Toyota 4Runner.

Inside the Jeep, the male driver and passengers -- two men and one woman -- claimed they didn't speak English, Edwards said. A Spanish-speaking officer translated.

"The occupants of the Jeep said they were just helping a friend move his trailer because he didn't have a trailer hitch on his vehicle -- seems a little funny to own a trailer and not have a hitch or vehicle to move it around, doesn't it?" Edwards said, noting that the four didn't know what their "friend's name" was, nor did they know where he lived. They told police they only knew that he was someone they worked with, but couldn't remember the name of the place where they all worked together.

After listening to this, police searched the Jeep and reportedly found methamphetamine and a firearm. The group was arrested.

The driver was 21-year-old Efrain De La Cruz Barron-Vizcarra, of Provo. He was arrested on charges of possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine in a drug-free zone and possession of a firearm by a restricted person.

The front seat passenger was 33-year-old Conrado Villa-Dominquez of Provo. He arrested on charges of possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine in a drug-free zone and possession of a firearm by a restricted person.

Eighteen-year-old Liliana Cruz-Guerro of Provo was arrested on a charge of possession of stolen property, as was 21-year-old Damion Gonzalez-Perez of Provo. They were the back seat passengers.

Edwards said immigration authorities will be contacted to determine the group's legal status in the country.

As for the 4Runner, Edwards said police found it abandoned on a nearby street. The vehicle was impounded. Police believe it contained stolen property.


http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/216556/4/