A Rash of Burglaries Spanning 3 Different East Texas Counties Leads Polk County Investigators to Stolen Property and 2 Meth Labs.
LIVINGSTON, October 29, 2009 - During the months of September and October of 2009, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office received several complaints of Burglaries and Thefts in different locations in PolkCounty.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation. During the investigation, detectives received information from citizens in reference to a possible vehicle description that was seen at some of the residences. The vehicle was described as a small 2 door silver or gray sports car with chrome wheels, driven by a white male with dark hair.
At the same time the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office was working several burglaries and thefts. Witnesses reported seeing a vehicle matching the description of a vehicle seen at burglaries in PolkCounty.
Investigators received information that some of the stolen property that had been taken in the PolkCounty burglaries had been pawned at a pawn shop in Cleveland. While reviewing video surveillance, investigators noted that the person pawning the stolen items was driving a vehicle that fit the description of the vehicle seen by citizens in PolkCounty and San JacintoCounty.
The suspects address was then obtained and surveillance was conducted on the residence which led to a traffic stop by Polk County Sheriff’s Office in San JacintoCounty on the suspect vehicle.
Steven Scott Stowe of Cleveland
Joy Stowe
The suspects were identified as Steven Scott Stowe and Joy Stowe of ClevelandTexas. Polk County Detectives obtained two search warrants for residences in ClevelandTexas, and with the assistance of the Cleveland Police Department served the warrants recovering stolen property from PolkCounty, and two methamphetamine labs. The Texas Department of Public Safety came and took control of the labs with charges pending on the owners of the residence. Steven Stowe and Joy Stowe were arrested and charged with Burglary of a Building. A warrant for Burglary of a Habitation was issued for Raymond Higginbotham who was allegedly with Stowe, during the burglaries committed in PolkCounty.
Investigators received information about a location in LibertyCounty where possible stolen property from PolkCounty was located. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for the residence and with the assistance of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, Cleveland Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office, and Texas Department of Public Safety executed the search warrant and several items of stolen property were recovered that had been reported stolen from Polk, San Jacinto, and Liberty Counties.
The cases are still under investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office with other charges pending. Steven and Joy Stowe also face charges in Liberty and San JacintoCounties.
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