SMITH COUNTY, Texas — The Smith County Sheriff's Office has identified four suspects in a recent string of burglaries in South Tyler and Whitehouse.
According to the SCSO, the 13 burglaries occurred around 5:45 a.m., in the 1700 block of Holcomb Cir., which is in the Vanderbilt Estates gated community. A vehicle was also reportedly stolen.
Officials say they located a suspicious vehicle, just north of the neighborhood, where the multiple burglaries had been reported.
The SCSO says they attempted to stop the vehicle and identify the occupants, but while doing so, four individuals got out and ran in different directions.
When the deputies returned to the vehicle, the found several firearms in the passenger's seat, the SCSO says.
Smith County investigators met with officials from the Whitehouse Police Department and discovered that 19 additional vehicles were burglarized within the Whitehouse city limits. Multiple items were stolen from these vehicles as well, including firearms.
Later in the morning, the stolen vehicle was recovered in Smith County near Loop 49 and Highway 64 W.
"During this investigation a search warrant was obtained for the suspect vehicle," the SCSO said in a statement. "During the search of the vehicle, an additional firearm was located that had been stolen in a burglary near Lindale even earlier that same morning. Additional evidence was obtained, including a fingerprint, leading Investigators to two suspects residing in Paris, Texas."
Smith County authorities traveled to Paris to continue their investigation with assistance from the Paris Police Department, Lamar County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. As a result of these efforts, four suspects were identified.
On Tuesday, investigators met with the Judge Austin Reeve Jackson and presented four arrest warrant affidavits for the following:
- Keaire Dantrell Porter, 32
- Samaki Nassier Walker, 24
- Jaylon Demond Sanders, 20
- Isaiah Lasaul Harris, 24
Once in custody, the four men will be charged with engaging in organized criminal activity. Bond will be set at $450,000 for each individual.
"These suspects are still at large, but arrests are expected shortly," the SCSO said.
Keaire Porter
This is a developing story and CBS19 will update this article as more information becomes available.
