Police nab burglary suspects

By Jim Tiffin
Staff Writer

MILAN — Milan Police Investigator Ron Saavedra has solved two burglaries and a forgery case and plans to take them to the next 13th Judicial District grand jury.

The burglary suspects, Joshua Hall, 18, of 1400 Willow, and Donald LaBelle, 19, of 619 Catalina, both in Milan, face identical charges of residential burglary, larceny, receiving/transferring stolen property and criminal damage to property, Saavedra said.

Hall faces additional charges in a second alleged burglary of three counts of unlawful taking of a vehicle, tampering with evidence and criminal damage to property.

"Mr. LaBelle actually entered the residence in the 700 block of Aspen, and gave the stolen goods to Hall who then disposed of them," in the first case, Saavedra said.

Hall is still in custody in the Cibola County Detention Center but Labelle bonded out, Saavedra said.

Stolen from the residence were a guitar, an amplifier, a grinder and a dremmel tool, he said.

Hall was arrested April 8 and LaBelle was arrested April 14, Saavedra said.

In the second alleged burglary, one four wheeler and two motorcycles were stolen. The four wheeler and one motorcycle have been recovered.

"The other motorcycle is not accounted for and we are not hopeful that we will recover it in one piece," Saavedra said.

Hall faces charges in yet another case, that of a burglary at Copeland's Tires in Milan, Saavedra said.

He faces breaking and entering and criminal damage to property charges.

"There will be additional charges and arrests in this case," Saavedra said.


Forgery case solved
In an unrelated forgery case, two men have been arrested, Brian Woods, 21, of the 1500 block of Tietjen in Milan, and James Murphy, 34, who has two addresses listed, 1500 block of Tietjen, Milan and 1028 Sage, Grants.

Woods allegedly took checks from a woman who was trying to help them because they were down on their luck, Saavedra said.

He then passed two checks at Grants State Bank and a third check elsewhere, Saavedra said.

Woods faces three counts of forgery, tampering with evidence, larceny and receiving stolen property.

Murphy faces similar charges but as a conspirator in the case, Saavedra said.

The checks were taken from a woman who is not related to the men and totaled about $160.

Even though the amount is not great, the act of forgery is a felony, Saavedra said.

This case will also be presented to the next grand jury, he said.

— To contact reporter Jim Tiffin e-mail: jimtiffin1@msn.com or call 287-2197.