Police Department

SPD Recovers Stolen Vehicle

Sgt. Terry Preuninger, PIO

Tuesday, March 31, 2020 at 2:39 p.m.

On Mach 26^th, SPD was dispatched to the 400 block of E. Joseph at about 6:30am in reference to a vehicle theft. The complainant stated his GMC pickup was stolen from the location overnight. The pickup had three dirt bikes in the truck as well as a large amount of protective gear for riding.

Dispatch entered the truck and dirt bikes as stolen and around 7:00am.  An SPD officer near the 200 block of E. Courtland spotted the truck while checking on a known nuisance house in the area.  The truck was backed into the driveway with another vehicle parked in front of it.  In the bed of the truck there were multiple pieces of dirt bike riding protective gear, a metal ramp for loading things into/out of the bed of the truck, and a large set of bolt cutters.

A male who was contacted at the scene identified himself as Mark Merrifield.  Merrifield claimed that the truck in question belonged to him.

SPD observed clear and distinct fresh motorcycle tracks leading from the back of the stolen truck to the garage on the property.  Upon search of the garage, SPD found the three missing dirt bikes along with more of the protective equipment that had been stolen.

It was determined that there was probable cause to arrest Merrifield for 4 counts of possession of a stolen motor vehicle, from the pickup and three dirt bikes.  During the search of Merrifield SPD also located a small tin in his pants pocket that contained a baggie of clear crystal substance that when tested came back as a presumptive positive for Methamphetamine.  PC existed to also charge Merrifield with PCS-Methamphetamine.

Ref. Case #2020-20051994

• Newer
• Older