A Hot Springs teen was arrested Wednesday night for the alleged burglary of a local gun shop and attempted burglary of a local hardware store after the execution of a search warrant by the Hot Springs police SWAT team.
Jacob Michel Tackett, 18, who lists a Highline Street address, turned himself in around 9:30 p.m. and was charged with felony counts of commercial burglary, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, criminal attempt at commercial burglary, defacing a firearm and three counts of theft of property involving firearms, each punishable by up to six years, and a misdemeanor count of first-degree criminal mischief.
He remained in custody Thursday in lieu of $17,000 bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, investigators with the HSPD's Special Investigations Division, agents with Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the SWAT team executed a "no-knock" search warrant at 601 Pleasant St. and located a Ruger 10-22 rifle hidden in the attic that was reportedly stolen early Wednesday morning during a burglary at Arego's Guns, 532 Airport Road.
Tackett reportedly came to the police department later that night unsolicited by the police and gave a statement to the ATF agents after being read his rights. He stated he and three male accomplices, whose last names are unknown, went to Atwoods, 2004 Albert Pike, in an attempt to commit a burglary and steal firearms.
He said one accomplice drove them to the store and then he and the other two accomplices attempted to break in using a crowbar but were unsuccessful. He said he and one accomplice then ran to Arego's and broke in using a crowbar and ax.
Tackett reportedly said he went inside while the accomplice stood outside. He removed three guns, including the Ruger 10-22, a Howa 6.5 Creedmoor rifle and a Ruger American 22-LR, which had a combined value of $2,030, and then and his accomplices took the guns to the Pleasant Street residence and hid them in the attic.
Later that day, he and one accomplice removed two of the firearms from the attic and took them to the accomplice's home where they painted one of the guns. While there, Tackett received a phone call telling him police had just raided the residence on Pleasant so he and the accomplice took the two firearms to a residence at 5304 Airport Road in Pearcy.
ATF agents, police and Garland County Sheriff's deputies went to the Airport Road residence where they located the other two firearms hidden in a shed in a used bathtub, covered with an old mattress. It was noted the Howa 6.5 Creedmoor rifle had been painted silver. Also found with the rifles were a scope and bipod.
Local on 04/24/2020