05-21-09   

The second suspect in the Lime Belt Burglaries is currently in custody. Michael L. Bovard, 27 of Omak, has been listed as a suspect since the February burglaries. Last Friday, 05-15-09 Bovard was arrested in Spokane on and Okanogan County Warrant. Bovard has since been transported back to Okanogan and is currently housed in the Okanogan County Jail on multiple burglary and theft charges.

The burglaries involved between 16 and 18 cabins in the area. Not all of the victims have been contacted at this time, but as of this date a list of over 143 items stolen has been reported to the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office. The value of the stolen and damaged items so far has come to over $27,000 dollars.

The case is still under investigation.

Original Press Release

03-13-09 LIME BELT BURGLARIES SOLVED, ONE IN CUSTODY ADDITIONAL SUSPECT BEING SOUGHT

On February 27, 2009 Okanogan Deputies received a report of a burglary in the Lime Belt area west of Riverside. Deputy Tait Everett and Reserve Deputy Justin Tverberg responded into the area using snowmobiles. Once they got into the area, which contains several residences and cabins they discovered that suspects had broken into between 16 and 18 separate residences. Most are usually unoccupied at this time of year.

Over the course of a week several Deputies went back into the area at least five separate times using snowmobiles and ATV's to process the crime scenes and to search for evidence. The investigating showed that the suspects had used snowmobiles to go into the area and then from residence to residence. The suspects damage all of the residences and stole several items from all of them. Some of the items stolen included generators, tools, clothing, firearms, and alcohol. The suspects then stole two boats and a raft, which they loaded up with the stolen items and then towed them down to the Lime Belt Road. The stolen boats were located by a land owner in the area. The suspects also attempted to steal two ATVs but were located in the area, stuck in the snow. The thefts ran into the thousands of dollars and at this time we do not have the value on the damage they did.

The break in the case goes to a little bottle of snowmobile anti-freeze. Deputy Everett and Reserve Deputy Tverberg had been following the suspect snowmobile tracks in the area when they discovered the quart of anti-freeze. On March 9th Reserve Deputy Tverberg took the antifreeze and went to a business in town to see if he could find out who purchased it. At the business Reserve Deputy Tverberg learned that they had only sold one bottle for year and recalled who they had sold it to. At this time a case was put together and we began to look for the suspects.

On March 13th Deputies located and arrested Jeffrey S. Combs, 19 of Omak. Combs knew we were looking for him and was hiding in a residence on the Omak River Road. Combs was interviewed and then later transported to the Okanogan County Jail where he was booked on the burglaries and on several outstanding arrest warrants for other cases. We will be finishing up the paperwork in the case and Combs is looking at several burglary, theft and malicious mischief charges. Deputies are still investigating the case and attempting to locate where the stolen property was taken.

The deputies in this case did an awesome job and spent a lot of time and effort to get these cases solved in just a couple of weeks, especially when this isn't the only case they are working on but several more at the same time. And a lot of credit goes to Reserve Deputy Tverberg did and excellent job and getting the lead that lead to the break in the case.

The Okanogan County Sheriff's Office is still looking for one additional suspect. Deputies are looking for Michael L. Bovard, 27 of Omak who was the other suspect involved in all of the burglaries. If anyone knows of Bovard's location please contact the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office at 509-422-7232.