Arrests Made in Recent Thefts

TYLER � Officials say the Smith County Sheriff�s Office has arrested several suspects in recent thefts. The first such arrest occurred Sunday evening in northeastern Smith County. At approximately 8:40 p.m., SCSO Dispatch received a call from a night security guard regarding a burglary in progress at a scrap yard in the 10300 block of County Road 383. Within ten minutes, patrol deputies arrived on scene to find a suspect running out of the woods near the location. The suspect was immediately taken into custody, and deputies say they found several items from the scrap yard in the woods from which the suspect came.

Apparently the suspect had trespassed into the scrap yard, thrown items over the fence into the woods, and planned to load them into his vehicle nearby, according to authorities. The suspect has been identified as Larry Wheeler, 57, of Tyler. Wheeler (pictured) is now in the Smith County Jail on a theft of material charge with bond set at $12,310.

More arrests occurred Monday evening in western Smith County. At approximately 7:00 p.m., a Smith County Sheriff�s Office patrol deputy spotted a vehicle, which had been reported as stolen, near the 3800 block of Highway 64 West. When the deputy initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, three passengers exited the vehicle and were arrested without incident, while the driver of the vehicle reportedly ran from the deputy. An off-duty Tyler Police Department detective assisted in the arrest of the passengers. A Constable Precinct One deputy located the driver, who by that time was found walking along West Loop 323. The driver and passengers have been identified as juveniles, and their identities will not be released at this time. No further details were immediately available.