CEDAR CITY, Utah, Jan. 3, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — An uncle-nephew burglary duo has been charged in four Iron County break-ins.
They are also sought in similar alleged crimes in St. George and Mesquite, Nevada with charges pending in their native California, according to court documents.
“Dache Kelly, of Riverside, California has been arrested in connection to a series of business burglaries that occurred in July of 2023,” the Iron County Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday on social media. “The victimized businesses include Denny’s Restaurant, Frijoles and Frescas Mexican Restaurant, Artic Circle Restaurant, and Foster’s Market.”
In addition, prosecutors said, a warrant for Lehman Frank Mitchell, of Moreno Valley, California, remains active and outstanding, both men charged with four counts of burglary and one count of theft in the July capers. All counts are third-degree felonies. Kelly is currently held without bail in the Iron County Jail while Mitchell remains at large.
Kelly is Mitchell’s nephew, according to charging documents for Kelly. The pair were caught on security video from a nearby business breaking into the restaurants, according to Kelly’s probable cause statement by Cedar City police.
After the forcible entries, the suspects “immediately went for the safe” inside, either prying it open on site or hauling it off, the court documents say.
Both men have active warrants out of Washington County for burglaries in the same time period and investigation was coordinated with the Mesquite Police Department where they are suspects.
Mitchell and Kelly have “previous arrests together” in California, according to the court records, and currently have burglary trials pending there.
