Joint operation nabs suspected auto thieves

The rash of thefts from automobiles which has plagued Libby since last fall might be over. A joint operation between Libby Police and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the arrest of 20-year-old Zachary Trager on charges of automobile theft and theft in a common scheme.

Police, acting on information obtained from an anonymous tip, executed a search warrant on Trager’s residence on Park Street at approximately 3:30 p.m. Feb. 26.

“We hit the jackpot,” Libby Police Chief Jim Smith said. “Our preliminary review points to at least six cases of theft from motor vehicles, but right now I can’t even guess at the total number.”

Individually, the thefts of property from vehicles are misdemeanors, but taken together they qualify as violation of Montana Code Annotated 45-6-301 and have been filed as felony charges. Each of these charges carries a potential penalty of a $50,000 fine and as many as 10 years in prison.

The automobile theft charge stems from an incident of Jan. 20, when a car was stolen from its owner in Libby and later recovered at J. Neils Park. A soft tool bag containing tools reportedly stolen from the vehicle provided law enforcement with justification for charging Trager with theft of the automobile in addition to the numerous thefts from vehicles that led to the charge of theft in a common scheme.

Two additional suspects, Tyler Davis and Isaac Macy, were arrested Feb. 16 after they were apprehended in a stolen vehicle loaded with items reportedly stolen from 26 vehicles in the Libby area. Smith said both Davis and Macy resided at the Park Street address where Trager was arrested.

Macy and Davis are facing the same charges as Trager, although their automobile theft charge stems from a separate incident of Feb. 16.

In addition to Davis, Macy and Trager, who Chief Smith labeled a “ring,” there have also been several other arrests of individuals charged with theft from a vehicle. With those arrests, Smith said he anticipates the rash of thefts is at an end.

Police recovered knives, binoculars, car keys and a wide variety of other items in the search. Smith is asking for anyone with items missing from their vehicles, reported or not, to contact Sergeant Terry Watson of the Libby Police Department. Smith said it is their goal to return stolen items as quickly as possible.