Brothers Souksavan Phommavong, 22, and Santy Phommavong, 18, were arrested in Fort Smith, Ark., after an undercover investigation lead to the discovery of tires and wheels recently stolen at Blue Ribbon Dodge in Sallisaw.
Sallisaw Police Chief Gary Philpot said Blue Ribbon Dodge reported that 12 tires and wheels had been stolen from new Dodge trucks on July 31. The brothers had driven through a metal gate to gain entry into the business. The suspects used a jack to raise the trucks, took the tires, then left the trucks on concrete blocks, Philpot said.
On Thursday the dealership reported that suspects had broken into the car lot again and had stolen 28 tires and wheels from new Dodge trucks. In this incident, the suspects had driven through the back fence, which damaged their vehicle, breaking out a turn signal and breaking off the radio antenna.
Philpot said Sallisaw Police detectives were able to use the broken signal light to discover that the suspects used a 2003 GMC cargo van to burglarize the lot. Employees at the dealership also found a U-Haul rental receipt in the name of Souksavan Phommavong near the vehicles where the tires had been stolen.
Sallisaw and Fort Smith detectives located the suspect vehicle at the U-Haul rental store in Fort Smith. The vehicle at the U-Haul store had the signal light and radio antenna missing. Detectives attempted to locate Phommavong on Thursday, but were unsuccessful.
Sallisaw detectives suspected that the suspects might be trying to sell the stolen tires and wheels on the Internet or on the online auction Web site eBay.
Sallisaw Detective Jeff Murray was able to locate the tires for sale on eBay, and the seller was determined to be Souksavan Phommavong's brother, Santy Phommavong. Philpot said Murray had a fellow law enforcement officer from Tulsa contact Santy Phommavong and arrange to purchase a set of the tires and wheels. Phommavong said that he had 40 tires and wheels to get rid of, which is the exact number of the tires and wheels stolen from the two dealership burglaries.
Sallisaw and Fort Smith detectives again contacted Santy Phommavong by telephone on Friday, and agreed to buy a set of tires and wheels. Fort Smith undercover officers met with Santy Phommavong at his Fort Smith home. Phommavong showed the undercover officers 36 Dodge tires and wheels, and the detectives took him into custody. The 36 tires and wheels were identified by Blue Ribbon Dodge officials and were returned to the dealership.
Souksavan Phommavong was later arrested on an outstanding Arkansas warrant and two Sequoyah County warrants. Philpot said Sallisaw detectives had obtained a burglary warrant for Souksavan Phommavong. The two men are currently being held in the Sebastian County Jail in Fort Smith. Detective Sandra Girdner said the men will be extradited back to Sallisaw to face charges in Sequoyah County.
