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SPANISH FORK — Police have arrested five people they say broke into the utility drop-off box at City Hall and stole checks that residents sent for utility payments. It's what the thieves left behind that made it easy for police to crack the case.
The drive-thru service to drop off utility payments in Spanish Fork is closed for now, it has to do with what disappeared from the box early Saturday morning.
"One of our detectives responded to the city office when it was reported by city employees that the city utility drop box had been broken into. Basically, the padlock had been removed from the box," said Spanish Fork Police Lt. Matt Johnson.
Johnson said the thieves may have gotten away with the crime had they not left behind a very important clue.
"The detective who was there located a piece of paper on the ground next to the drop box, and it showed that it returned to a set of bolt cutters," Johnson said.
Knowing the only store in town open overnight is Wal-Mart, the detective began reviewing surveillance video at the store and could clearly see a group of people leaving with a set of $19 bolt cutters.
Detectives also found the thieves didn't wait long to try forging the stolen utility checks to their own names.
"One of the victims that had his checks stolen from the box was contacted by a bank in Lehi and stated some individuals were there trying to cash his check," Johnson said.
Police were called to the bank Saturday afternoon. After serving a search warrant, Johson said the officers found marijuana, heroin, meth and pills.
Four men and one woman were arrested. Jason Grever, 31; John Rider, 31; Samuel York, 31; William Bell, 30; and Kaitlyn Hall, 20, are facing various theft and drug possession charges.
Ironically, police aren't worried about pursuing charges involving the crime that got the five suspects arrested in the first place.
"No littering charges," Johnson said with a laugh.
Police are now advising Spanish Fork residents who dropped off their utility payment late last week and get a late notice from the city to contact City Hall.
