Baxter County man arrested for possession of stolen items

A Baxter County man has been arrested for being in possession of items stolen from a man’s home while the victim was out of the country. Facing a felony charge of theft by receiving is 57-year-old Phillip Wade Reeves of rural Mountain Home.According to the probable cause affidavit from the Mountain Home Police Department, a friend was watching the house for the victim while he was away and notified police when he discovered the window to the master bedroom was open and the safe located there was also open.

When the owner returned he filed a report saying items missing included $55,000 in cash, $15,000 in jewelry, nine gold bars weighing 37.5 grams each and a cell phone. The phone turned out to be a key piece of evidence because the owner had set it notify of my location before he left.

The phone showed a location on Cannie Baker Road, the residence of Reeves. He was brought in for questioning, but denied any knowledge of where the phone was. He mentioned he had recently undergone back surgery.

The next day, the phone showed a location of a doctor’s office. When police arrived, the staff said Reeves had just left. Investigators went to Reeves’ residence and asked for the phone. He again denied having it. He was advised it had pinged from the exam room at the doctor’s office. He then reached in his shirt pocket and handed it to the investigator.

A search warrant was then obtained for his house and law enforcement found some of the jewelry, gold bars and just over $3,700 in cash. Reeves said a man had brought the items over to his house and asked him to keep them. He said he didn’t ask any questions about the items.

Reeves is free from the Baxter County Detention Center after posting $50,000 bond.

PAST CRIMINAL HISTORY

Reeves has another criminal case working through district court.

He was arrested last September by Baxter County deputies for breaking or entering a vehicle, criminal attempt to steal a vehicle, theft of property under $1,000 and a penalty enhancement for being a habitual offender.

In that case, Reeves was caught trying to steal a woman’s truck. He said he was there to repossess the vehicle. The owner had inherited the vehicle from her father and showed the title to the deputy.

The probable cause affidavit noted Reeves has eight prior felony convictions.

Reeves is set for a jury trial in that case the week of May 12.

IZARD COUNTY ARRESTS

Reeves is also a registered sex offender and has been arrested twice in Izard County for failure to register as a sex offender.

In both cases, he received 36 months suspended imposition of sentence.

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