Graham County deputies responded to a report of burglary and car theft early Sunday morning. The victim reported that somebody had broken into his residence and took his Ford F-150 truck. The victim told authorities that he had been tracking his truck on his phone and the last known location was Highway 191 and Concho. A deputy went to that location but was unable to locate the vehicle.
The deputy contacted dispatch to get a license plate number for the vehicle to track it on the FLOCK license plate reader system. The vehicle showed up on camera at approximately 11:40 pm Saturday night heading west on Highway 70 at Black Rock Road. Deputies notified Gila County law enforcement to be on the lookout for the stolen vehicle.
Deputies met with the victim, who showed them where the truck had been parked at his residence before it was stolen. He showed deputies a plastic bag outside the residence with a pair of shoes that he said were not his. The man, who lives alone in a 5th wheel, said that he found the shoes when he came home. Inside the trailer the man showed deputies a pair of shorts on a chair with a towel that was still wet. The man said the towel was his, but the shorts were not. He said the keys to his truck had been hanging on the wall.
The man told authorities that the burglar had apparently taken a shower, changed clothes and opened a can of soda, which was left on the counter. The shorts and the soda can were taken for evidence and deputies were able to lift multiple fingerprints from the can. While lifting the prints, deputies were notified that Gila County law enforcement had intercepted the stolen vehicle and had the suspect in custody. The suspect had apparently tried to run but was apprehended after a short foot pursuit.
Another deputy had made contact with the suspect the night before shortly before midnight. The deputy said that he contacted a black male who identified himself as Josh Craft on Highway 191 next to Lee Trail. The man was walking south on the west side of the road. He asked the deputy for water. As the deputy retrieved water from his patrol vehicle, he asked Craft where was coming from and where he was going. Craft reportedly responded that he had been hitchhiking from Flagstaff and was traveling east. When the deputy point out that he was walking south, Craft just turned and began walking north without saying another word.
After the burglary and car theft, authorities found a duffel bag about ¾ of a mile from the victim’s residence with an ID card of Joshua Craft.
Craft is facing charges of Theft of means of transportation, Burglary in the second degree and criminal trespass.
