Sallisaw Man Caught With Burglary Tools

A Sallisaw man was charged April 22 with possession of tools by a previous burglar, according to an arrest record.

Bobby Ray, 53, faces up to two years in prison or a fine of up to $10,000, or both, on the felony charge.

On March 25, a police report indicates, the Sallisaw Police Department (SPD) received a call from a Heavener police officer in reference to possible storage unit break-ins. The Heavener officer said a male named Bobby Ray was suspected of breaking into storage buildings in Heavener and stealing goods from inside them.

The officer also told the SPD that Ray was driving a white Chrysler 200 and was possibly traveling from Heavener to Sallisaw and asked the SPD to try and make contact with that vehicle.

Shortly afterward, a Sallisaw officer on patrol spotted the car headed northbound on South Kerr Boulevard. The car had a cracked windshield and a handicap placard hanging from the rear-view mirror. The officer initiated a traffic stop and the Chrysler stopped at the entrance to the Sallisaw Municipal Airport.

The officer asked the driver, Ray, for his driver’s license and asked if any marijuana was inside the vehicle because he could smell burned marijuana when he approached the car.

Ray admitted having weed in the car and provided the officer with a medical marijuana license. A search of the Chrysler revealed two containers labeled “contains THC” in the front cupholder, one of which was empty. The other container held a green, leafy substance inside along with hand-rolled cigarettes that also contained the leafy substance.

In the front passenger’s floorboard, officers located a tool used to remove windows and in the back seat was a grinder and a cutting wheel. A look inside the car’s trunk revealed bolt cutters, a mask, gloves and other miscellaneous items.

Ray denied knowing why the bolt cutters and other items were in the vehicle and said he had let a friend borrow the car that day.

Under questioning, Ray said he had been in trouble for burglaries in the past and that he had a problem and sometimes just could not keep himself from stealing. He also admitted knowing where all the stolen property was and said he could get it back.

The tools recovered from Ray’s vehicle were placed into evidence and the Heavener officer will be furthering the investigation in LeFlore County.

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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