Three Juveniles, One Adult Arrested for Vehicle Burglary Spree
Four Cedar City residents, one adult and three juveniles, who were involved in a vehicle burglary spree spanning from August to October were taken into custody in December. On Tuesday, Jan. 20, the adult in the group, 19-year-old Reagan Gurbal accepted a plea agreement for four of the 26 original charges.
Vehicle Burglary from Cedar City to Southern California
According to an article in the Cedar City News, Gurbal seemed to be the ringleader of a group of underage accomplices in the vehicle burglary incidents that allegedly occurred between Aug. 15 and Oct. 18. Cedar City Police connected him to at least 19 of 40 burglaries that took place between those dates, and after being arrested, Gurbal admitted to burglarizing approximately 20-25 vehicles in just one night.
Gurbal allegedly provided a meeting spot for the “gang” to meet both before and after each night of vehicle burglary. At the end of the night, the group would split up the goods stolen during the night. Gurbal also allegedly provided a location to store the stolen goods, which included money, electronics, jewelry, and even firearms.
On Oct. 18, Gurbal and another suspect left Utah and met with other juveniles in Las Vegas, where the vehicle burglary spree continued into Southern California. On Oct. 22, Gurbal and three juveniles—a 14-year-old male, 16-year-old female, and 17-year-old male—were arrested in Victorville, CA.
Gurbal was originally charged with 26 different counts, mostly dealing with theft or burglary, however four of the charges dealt with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. His plea agreement was for two class A misdemeanors of vehicle burglary, a third degree felony theft of receiving stolen property, and second degree felony theft charge. Details haven’t been released as to punishment for the juveniles involved in the case.
Vehicle Burglary Doesn’t Require Breaking In
According to Utah Criminal Code 76-6-204, any person who unlawfully enters any vehicle with intent to commit a felony or theft is guilty of vehicle burglary. However, what is important to understand is that it doesn’t require actually breaking into a vehicle; simply reaching through an open car window to take something that doesn’t belong to you falls under this criminal code.
As mentioned in regards to Reagan Gurbal, vehicle burglary is a class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500 if committed by an adult. If your child has been charged with vehicle burglary, be sure to contact an experienced juvenile defense attorney.
