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ALTAMONT, Duchesne County — Authorities are investigating after a pair of thefts involving large vehicles in a rural part of northeastern Utah, and officials warned those living in the area to ensure their vehicle are locked to prevent further thefts.
The two cases happened about a month apart, with one occurring on March 19 and another last week. In both cases, the stolen vehicle was recovered — though one was after it had been partially submerged into a nearby reservoir, according to Duchesne County Sheriff’s Lt. Jeremy Curry.
In the first case, deputies were dispatched to a report of a 2006 beige Ford F-350 Dually pickup truck being stolen from a home near Altamont. The owner of the truck attempted to pursue the vehicle as it was being stolen but lost sight of the truck.
The truck was found a few hours later after the vehicle crashed into the Sandwash Reservoir. The case, Curry said, remains unsolved and they have not identified any suspects in connection with the theft.
In the second case, a similar large truck was stolen from an unincorporated area near Altamont. The truck was later recovered and a juvenile was arrested in connection with the case, Curry said.
Curry said the stolen truck had a handgun inside it and that the truck was recovered after the father of one of the youth in the case saw a community member post on social media about a stolen vehicle. The father then noticed a photo that his son had posted online earlier in the day with a vehicle matching the description of the stolen vehicle.
"He contacted the owner of the vehicle and stated that his son wanted to come apologize for stealing the vehicle,” Curry said.
The juvenile was taken to a youth detention center. His name was not released because of his age.
Deputies don’t believe the two cases are related, Curry added.
He urged residents to not leave keys or valuables inside an unattended vehicle and to lock their vehicles at night. Though Duchesne County is small, Curry said vehicle theft isn’t entirely uncommon, though it remains rare.
“I realize we live in a rural community, but we still have to be diligent when it comes to locking our vehicles and keeping things safe,” he said.
Anyone with information about the March 19 case is encouraged to contact the Duchesne County Sheriff's Office at 435-738-2015 or central dispatch at 435-738-2424. For those looking to remain anonymous, a tip line number is also available at 435-738-0196.
