SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 11, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City police have arrested a 36-year-old man accused of possessing stolen custom artwork and a large amount of methamphetamine.
The initial investigation started at 8:02 a.m. on March 31, 2022, when SLCPD officers took a report of a theft near 200 S. West Temple.
“Officers met with the victim and learned someone stole his enclosed cargo trailer,” an SLCPD statement says. “The victim told officers the trailer had several thousand dollars’ worth of property, including custom and distinctive metal artwork.”
Detectives with the SLCPD Auto Theft Unit took over the investigation. At 1:28 a.m. on Thursday, January 5, 2023, graveyard officers proactively patrolling the area of 5600 West 900 South spoke with two men who were in possession of four trailers.
Through investigative follow-up, officers and detectives learned that some of the items in or on the trailers were stolen. Detectives started sorting through the property and trailers in order to return the items to their rightful owners.
Because of the large amount of property and trailers with stripped off vehicle identification numbers (VINs), detectives are asking anyone who may have had tools with special markings or a trailer stolen in the last six months that matches one in the photos to email contact information and case number to [email protected].
On Monday, January 9, 2023, patrol officers assigned to the Pioneer Patrol Division spotted a piece of artwork, matching the description of the artwork previously stolen, on a trailer near 900 South 5600 West.
Officers contacted the owner of the trailer, later identified as Travis Hayes.
Through the investigation, officers secured a court-authorized search warrant.
As a result of the search warrant, officers recovered the artwork, a Salt Lake City street sign, a large amount of methamphetamine, heroin, drug paraphernalia, and tools that could be used to commit burglaries.
Officers booked Hayes into Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of theft by receiving stolen property, and possession of burglary tools, the SLCPD statement says.
