3 men arrested in thefts from vehicles

Officers arrested three men they suspect were involved with about 30 thefts from vehicles in the past week.

Hank Salmons, 21, Juan Mora-Rodriguez, 19, and Trevor Hayes, 17, all of Sedalia, were arrested Wednesday. Officers were requesting charges on 26 accounts of stealing or tampering with a motor vehicle against Salmons, a charge of misdemeanor stealing on Rodriguez and felony stealing against Hayes. 

Salmons and Hayes were charged Thursday afternoon with Class C felony stealing. Mora-Rodriguez was booked and released. 

Officers suspect the three were involved in thefts from about 30 vehicles, most parked on the west side of Sedalia, according to Sedalia Police Department reports. Most, if not all, the vehicles were unlocked. Items stolen included cash, GPS units, car stereos and a laptop computer. 

Sgt. Matt Wirt said a tip gave the investigation the spark it needed and lead to the three as suspects. Typically, thefts from vehicles are difficult crimes to solve because the items are small and there are usually no witnesses.

“It’s one of those situations where the public and the people are the best resource,” Wirt said. “... That’s what you really need” in an investigation like this. 

Salmons admitted to about 30 thefts inside the city and more in the county, Wirt said. Some of the thefts happened around Thanksgiving then a rash occurred again on Dec. 3. Officers think the majority of stolen items and cash were used to purchase or trade for drugs.

“We haven’t been able to recover anything,” Wirt said.

Salmons is a suspect in a number of other thefts that occurred in the Hunter’s Ridge and Walnut Hills subdivisions.

There may be victims who failed to make a police report. People who have not made a report can contact the Police Department at 826-8100 or call the Pettis County Sheriff’s Department at 827-0052 for thefts in the county.