Arrests Made in Smith County Burglary Ring

TYLER – Multiple vehicle burglaries may have been solved with the arrest of three suspects. The burglaries were first reported in the Flint area earlier this month. Charged with theft over $1,500 and under $20,000 are Tyrell Deshaun Choice and Triston Travon Hudson. Charged with credit/debit card abuse is Ahteuhna Taylor.(pictured) All three are from Tyler. Bonds on each were set at $500,000.

On March 4, 2015 the Smith County Sheriff’s Office received additional reports of vehicle burglaries in the Flint Community. Numerous guns along with credit cards and personal identifications were taken in these burglaries. On March 12, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office received reports of four additional burglaries in the Flint area. Once again miscellaneous items were taken from vehicles.

Also on March 12 the Bullard Police Department received eleven reports of vehicle burglaries within their city. Miscellaneous items were reported stolen from these vehicles including credit cards and personal identifications. A late model Chevrolet Tahoe was also stolen in the City of Bullard. This vehicle was subsequently recovered within the City of Tyler.

With information received from the Bullard Police Department, potential suspects surfaced. Stolen credit cards from the vehicle burglaries were being used. Smith County Sheriff’s Office detectives were successful in identifying a vehicle as well as one suspect.

On March 26, the Gladewater Police Department reported they had received five vehicle burglary reports as well as a residential burglary. Miscellaneous items, including credit cards and personal identifications were taken during these vehicle burglaries. A 2015 Ford King Ranch pickup was taken from one of the residences in Gladewater as well. A vehicle used in these burglaries had been previously identified by Smith County Sheriff’s Detectives. This vehicle had been identified through extensive surveillance and investigation. This enabled Sheriff’s detectives to positively identify two suspects in all of the above described criminal activity.

On Thursday, Smith County Sheriff’s Office Detectives, along with the East Texas Auto Theft Task Force Investigators were successful in locating the pickup that had been reported as stolen from Gladewater. Surveillance was conducted on the vehicle as well as another suspect vehicle that Sheriff’s detectives had identified as part of an auto burglary, auto theft, credit card abuse and residential burglary ring. Just before midnight on Thursday, after conducting surveillance throughout the day, Smith County Sheriff’s detectives and patrol officers were successful in detaining six suspects. Upon further investigation continuing through the night of March 26 and throughout the day on Friday, three of the suspects have been released and were not involved. The remaining three suspects were arrested and are currently charged with vehicle burglary and credit card abuse.

Further charges are expected as detectives from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Gladewater Police Department, Tyler Police Department and Bullard Police Department continue this investigation.