This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Cedar City couple has been arrested in connection with nearly a dozen recent business thefts and break-ins.
Cedar City police Sgt. J.R. Robinson said Friday that Dwayne Lewis Rouse, 21, and Kristine Gabrielle Verdugo, 21, had been booked into the Iron County jail on suspicion of burglary and related charges stemming from 11 incidents dating back to September.
Charges range from class B misdemeanors to second-degree felonies. If convicted, the pair face penalties of up to 15 years in prison.
Robinson credited a burglary victim's vigilance for providing police with the break that led to the arrests.
Late Oct. 27, the victim recognized a 4-wheeler that had been stolen from his business over the past weekend. He provided police and neighbors with a description of the vehicle and its rider.
About 8 a.m. Thursday, police received a tip that the 4-wheeler was spotted in the area of 1200 North and North Cedar Boulevard. When officers arrived, they allegedly found the 4-wheeler at the residence of Rouse and Verdugo.
The goods stolen from the break-ins include about $23,000 worth of computers, office equipment, tools and electronics. Some of the items have been recovered, and efforts continued to locate others, Robinson said.
Bob Mims