Officials use GPS placed in cellphone to track suspect after Salt Lake City robbery

Cody Gaines. Photo Courtesy: Salt Lake County

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, May 27, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A Salt Lake City man is facing charges of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery, both first-degree felonies, after officials used a GPS placed in a cellphone to track his whereabouts.

A probable cause statement from the Third District Court of Salt Lake County said Cody James Gaines, 25, was arrested Friday and transported to the Salt Lake County Jail, where he is being held without bail.

The probable cause statement said two masked male suspects entered the AT&T store located at 2153 S. 700 East Thursday.

“One male produced a handgun and ordered all of the employees to the ground, and then forced them into the back office room, while the second suspect used a duffel bag to steal smartphones and the cash register,” the statement said.

“After stealing these items by force, the suspects fled the store. One of the smartphones that was stolen was actually a tracking device that was intentionally planted in the inventory in the event a robbery were to take place.”

This GPS device provided real time tracking information with a narrow point of accuracy, the statement said. The device tracked from the AT&T store to an apartment in West Fireclay Avenue in Murray.

“Officers responded to this location and attempted contact but nobody answered and the GPS device stopped pinging,” the statement said. “The apartment is uniquely registered to Cody Gaines, who also has multiple warrants for his arrest. Officers verified with the property management that Cody Gaines is the only person known to be living at this residence.”

The following day, officers located Gaines near the leasing office at the apartment building and took him into custody. A search warrant was obtained to enter and search Gaines’ apartment. Inside the apartment, several items of clothing were located in Gaines’ personal possessions that exactly matched the clothing worn by the suspects in the robbery at the AT&T store, the statement said.

Gaines was interviewed by detectives, and after being read his Miranda rights, stated that nobody else resides at his apartment other than him.

Officials have not identified the other suspect that was allegedly involved in the robbery.

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