PC Sheriff's respond to three auto theft calls

On Sunday, June 28, the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible stolen vehicle from 151 S. 2nd Street W in Malta. The vehicle, a 2005 Chevy TrailBlazer, was taken sometime between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. Phillips County Undersheriff Burt Peigneux investigated and found another stolen vehicle in the alley behind the residence belonging to a different Malta resident.

That makes a total of three vehicles reported stolen in Malta in the last two weeks, according to the sheriff’s office. Phillips County Sheriff Scott Moran said the frequency in the theft of money, purses, cellphones and other small electronic items increases during the summer months.

“We just have so many kids running around on the streets at night,” Sheriff Moran said.

Moran said that this time of year also brings a number of transient and out of state traffic through the county in the summer, but said that all the thievery can’t be blamed on that.

“There is a lot of local theft as well,” Sheriff Moran said, adding that all three vehicles have been recovered.

The stolen TrailBlazer was suspected to be heading to Great Falls and local law enforcement was notified. On Thursday, Sheriff Moran said the other two vehicles stolen were found, one in Billings and the other in Malta, adding that at least two suspects have been identified.

On June 30 the TrailBlazer was spotted in Great Falls after a report of a theft at a local Wal-Mart. An officer stopped the vehicle and the occupants fled on foot. The vehicle was recovered and the owner in Malta was notified.

Sheriff Moran added that the sheriff’s office also receives a high volume of calls reporting the thefts of coolers, tools and other small items from the back of pick-up trucks during the summer months. He advises that Phillips County residents remove keys, secure valuable and lock both vehicles and homes.