Police arrest six in burglary ring; investigation continues

Just hours after a home surveillance tape surfaced of one person looking to break into two vehicles, the Guthrie Police have arrested six people involved in a rash of recent car burglaries.

(L-R) Gareth Welborn, Brandon Friend, Amanda Polly, Shaun Friend, Dana Drake and Jimmy Hix Sr. were all arrested in part of car burglaries in the Guthrie area.

The case opened when a Sergeant from the Guthrie Police Department recognized the person on the surveillance tape that he saw posted on the internet. The latest burglary occurred at 1217 Mockingbird Road early Wednesday morning and it was all caught on tape by homeowners. Related story: Video captures images of car burglary suspect

According to the probable cause affidavit, officers went to the home of Gareth Dale Welborn, 18 of Guthrie, whom the officer believe was in the video, at 611 E. Harrison on Thursday.

A Guthrie Police Officer moves removes items from a home located on the corner of 9th and Mansur. Photo By Chris Evans

An officer showed Welborn the surveillance video on his cell phone and asked who was the person in that video?

Welborn replied, “me” but that Shaun Bradley Friend, 21 of Guthrie, was the person who took a purse and bag from a vehicle that could not be seen on the tape. Inside the purse was $1050.

In the report, Welborn went on to say he walked into the yard, but didn’t remember taking anything due to being intoxicated.

Friend came to the police station wanting to talk to an officer and clear his name.

However, Friend was arrested for burglary in the second degree after he wanted officers to search his home at 1723 W. Logan, but did not want to be arrested if stolen merchandise was found because he had only lived there for three days.

Brandon Joseph Friend, 18 of Guthrie, and Amanda Nicole Polly, 18 of Guthrie, reside at the address of 1723 W. Logan and were arrested following a search of their home that came up with merchandise, including reported stolen credit cards, a lap top, binoculars and two sets of earings.

Photo By Chris Evans

According to their Facebook pages, Brandon Friend and Polly are engaged.

Following interviews with those arrested, Guthrie Police were led to 9th and Mansur on Friday afternoon where they arrested Jimmy Ray Hix Sr. and Dana Drake.

“We were told there were some guns and other items here,” Lieutenant Mark Bruning said. “We served a search warrant with the tactical team. Mr Hix was found inside the house and at that time we found some drugs in which we got another search warrant to search for drugs,” Bruning said.

The search found paraphernalia and stolen property, including a generator, coach purses and iPods.

Hix was charged with four counts, including concealing stolen merchandise, conspiracy to commit a felony, controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $22,000.

Drake was charged with concealing stolen property and had bond set at $5,000.

“We have received info on this house before for selling drugs and also trading drugs for stolen property,” Bruning explained.

Bruning went on to say that the lady inside the home said Hix would buy the stolen merchandise from the kids that they had been hearing were doing the car burglaries.

“There are still some more people we got to locate and some more property try to find,” Bruning concluded.

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