Idaho Man Arrested For String Of Thefts In Lincoln County

An out-of-state man is behind bars in Lincoln County after police say they connected him to a string of recent thefts in two small towns there.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office says all of the crimes occurred on the morning of Tuesday, April 7, when deputies initially responded to reports of a man breaking into a vehicle in Wilbur.

A short time later, a burglary was reported at a motel in the 300 block of Northeast Main Avenue in Wilbur, where a male suspect reportedly stole a television and several other items of value.

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Later that morning, and about 35 miles away in the town of Harrington, deputies responded to a resident who was missing several pieces of jewelry after reportedly offering assistance to a stranger who'd knocked on their door asking for help.

Using eyewitness descriptions and video surveillance footage, investigators were able to connect the same man to all three incidents and put out an alert to all police agencies in the region.

The suspect was soon spotted by officers with the Grand Coulee Police Department, who were able to intercept his vehicle and detain him until Lincoln County deputies arrived at the scene.

The suspect, who was identified as 36-year-old Trever Hamblen of Hayden, Idaho, was arrested and booked into the Lincoln County Jail on suspicion of second-degree burglary, second-degree vehicle prowling, and third-degree theft.

Investigators say Hamblen may have had an accomplice in committing the crimes and potential charges against that person have been forwarded to prosecutors for further review.