Two Searcy Men Jailed for Stealing Thousands in Property during Home Break-ins

SEARCY, AR - Two Searcy men are jailed for stealing thousands in property during home break-ins.

Shane Allen Roberson, 40, and Johnny Whaley, Jr., 34, are charged in separate cases.

The White County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) says Roberson is charged in a case involving $40,000 worth of stolen property that happened February 10th on Sibley Trail Road in the Letona area.

Deputies say Roberson later returned a large amount of the property he had stolen and it has been returned to its owners.  

The WCSO says that while Roberson was under investigation for the Sibley Trail case, he was also developed as a possible suspect in the burglary of a home on Mt. Pisgah Road in the Searcy area that happened around the same time. In that break-in, it was reported that about $10,000 worth of property had been stolen. 

During this investigation, detectives were able to recover several items from Roberson that were stolen from the Mt. Pisgah residence, the WCSO said.

Formal charges are soon to be filed in reference to both cases where restitution will be requested for any property that was not returned by Roberson.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, deputies investigated a home break-in on Highway 157 in the Judsonia area. Shortly after the crime was reported, deputies received information that the owner was using GPS to track a cell phone stolen during the burglary.

The information led deputies to America’s Best Value Motel off of Rand Street in Searcy. That's where deputies, along with officers from the Searcy Police Department found Whaley. After talking to him, deputies say they were able to recover the stolen cell phone in the room along with about $4,000.00 worth of suspected stolen jewelry and electronics. 

It was later determined that most of the property that was found in the room came from the burglary on Highway 157. Also found in the room was a box containing a substance believed to be methamphetamine and several items of drug paraphernalia. 

Whaley was arrested for being in possession of the illegal drugs and he was booked into the White County Detention Center where he is being held on a $50,000 bond. 

The property found in the room was seized and is being returned to the owner.