Man accused of trying to steal luggage from youth campers in southern Utah

LA VERKIN, Washington County — A man was arrested in southern Utah over the holiday weekend and accused of illegally entering hotels and trying to steal luggage belonging to a youth group attending a camp.

On Saturday, La Verkin police were called to the Best Western Hotel, 535 N. Main, "regarding a report of an attempted theft involving a large group of youth attending a camp. Upon arrival, I contacted several camp staff members who were supervising the children staying at the hotel. Staff advised they observed a male acting suspiciously in the hallway where the children were staying and believed he was attempting to steal luggage from the rooms," a police booking affidavit states.

Police reviewed surveillance video from the hotel and observed 31-year-old Enrique Ibarra "attempting to take a large red duffel bag containing medications. Camp staff estimated the value of the medications and bag to exceed $1,500," according to the affidavit.

Before police arrived, staff members found Ibarra "hiding inside a supply closet while wearing one of the camp staff's jackets in an apparent attempt to blend in with the group," the affidavit states. After being confronted, Ibarra ran from the hotel. Police were called, and officers from La Verkin police, Washington County sheriff's deputies and a Utah Highway Patrol helicopter searched the area but were unable to find him.

Additional backpacks were found in the closet where Ibarra was hiding, and "the camp manager determined Enrique had accessed children's hotel rooms," according to the affidavit. Investigators believe Ibarra entered one room using a stolen hotel room key and learned that hotel staff had confronted him earlier in the evening using a stolen key.

"At that time, they did not realize he was involved in a larger theft investigation," the affidavit states. "The evidence further indicates Enrique unlawfully entered multiple occupied hotel rooms, stole hotel room keys to facilitate additional entries, entered a janitorial supply closet without authorization, concealed himself inside the closet while wearing stolen clothing to avoid detection, and attempted to steal a duffel bag containing medications valued at over $1,500."

Investigators then learned that Ibarra had entered another nearby hotel that same day, went into a room he did not pay for "and flooded the room, causing extensive water damage that extended from the room down into the hotel lobby. Staff estimated the damage to be several thousand dollars," the affidavit states.

On Sunday, about 7 a.m., police located Ibarra inside a trailer in La Verkin that did not belong to him.

He was arrested and charged on Monday in 5th District Court with aggravated commercial obstruction and two counts of burglary of a dwelling, second-degree felonies; theft and causing property damage, third-degree felonies; trespassing and vehicle burglary, class A misdemeanors; and theft of services, a class B misdemeanor.