Carson City Sheriff's Office provides update on 'Pillow Case Bandits' arrests
The Carson City Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office continue to actively work a joint investigation into the rash of residential burglaries that has plagued our region for months.
The suspects used pillow cases from the homes they were breaking into in order to collect stolen items as they committed the burglaries. Law enforcement gave the operation the name “Pillow Case Bandits” early on during the investigation. The suspects were stealing jewelry, small electronic devices, coins, cash, and a few hand guns from the homes they targeted.
Investigators identified potential suspects in the case and each agency committed resources to work together. On Thursday Feb. 12, 2015 two of the suspects committed a residential burglary in the Washoe Valley area. Law Enforcement Officers assigned to the operation from each agency coordinated a simultaneous response in securing several locations in Carson City and traffic stops on the suspect’s vehicles that were still mobile in Carson City. This allowed investigators to make four arrests and recover numerous items of stolen property. Arrested on Feb. 12 were Travis Lieberwirth, Brian Madsen, Crystal Bullock, and Rachel Strull.
One of the main suspects in the case, Tracey Lock, met with Detectives at the Carson City Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015. During an extensive interview with Detectives Tracey Lock admitted to breaking into 18 homes throughout the three counties. Lock told detectives he has a severe gambling and methamphetamine addiction and had been committing burglaries to fund both of his habits.
On Wednesday, Feb. 18, Drake Van Cleave was arrested by Washoe County Deputies and Nevada Parole and Probation. He was charged with four outstanding warrants from Carson City related to earlier drug charges and possession of stolen property charges. Van Cleave had been caught with stolen property from one of the first burglaries that occurred in Carson City. He will be transported to Carson City sometime Thursday, Feb. 19, where detectives will meet with him.
The investigation into the burglary ring is still active and Detectives are following up on leads on several other suspects that have been identified. Additional charges will be forthcoming on most of the six suspects that have already been arrested as the investigation comes to an end.
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