Four arrested in dirt bike theft

(From left to right) Candice Swanson, Travis Payton, Jesse Meffert and Sage Owings

By Jon Mayhew
DENVER (Feb. 23, 2011) – Four suspects have been arrested in an eastern Lincoln County dirt bike theft, where the victim in the case helped catch the suspects.

Deputies arrested Candice Renne Swanson, 16, of Osprey Trail, Denver, Travis Wayne Payton, 20, Capes Cove Drive, Sherrills Ford, and Jesse Thomas Meffert, 18, Webbs Road in Denver. The three arrests were made Monday night.

They are charged with three felony counts each of breaking and entering a building, one felony count each of larceny and possession of stolen goods and two misdemeanor counts each of injury to personal property.

They are being held under a $20,000 secured bond each. A fourth suspect, who originally got away Monday night, was arrested Tuesday night.

Sage Lawson Thomas Owings, 17, faces the same charges. He was taken to the Lincoln County Jail under a $30,000 secured bond.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies responded to 4791 Burton Lane when the resident reported a larceny in progress.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said the suspects in the case had returned to retrieve a dirt bike they had stolen from the garage of the residence around 10pm Sunday and hid under some leaves near the home. They also reportedly broke into two outbuildings at other homes nearby on Sunday night and early Monday morning.

During that time, the victim at 4791 Burton Lane had located the dirt bike and decided to chain the motorbike to a tree and watch for the suspects to return to the area. The victim and his neighbors were watching when a car with the suspects inside returned to the area Monday night around 8:47pm.

The victim called 911 and he and witnesses detained two of the suspects while three others sped away in a Kia Spectra.

The vehicle was stopped a short distance away on Webbs Road by Deputy D. Richard with the suspects inside.

The two people detained by the homeowners were released and not charged in the case. Investigating officers were Detective Matt Burgess, K-9 Officer Mark Stamey and Sheriff’s Charlie District patrol deputies Sgt. L. White, D.Richard, B Alexander, and A Roper.

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