Reward offered for tips on gun safe burglary
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

The Wharton County Sheriff's Office needs help finding the burglar or burglars who broke into a home near Wharton, and a reward is available for tips in the case.

Detective John Gutierrez with the sheriff's office said burglars broke into a house on CR 144 in the late afternoon of Friday, Dec. 7. That home is just outside the Wharton city limits, near the auction barn.

"They stole a flat-screen television and a gun safe that had a lot of important documents and money in it," Gutierrez said.

Investigators found the shattered remains of the large, heavy safe scattered along two county roads.

While the investigation into the crime continues, Gutierrez said detectives are "kind of at a standstill."

"We're hoping anyone who has information on this burglary will come forward and either contact Crime Stoppers, or me," Gutierrez said. "I know this crime occurred near Wharton, but there could be someone anywhere in the county that knows something about it."

If you have information on the suspects in this burglary, or other facts about this case, please call West Wharton County Crime Stoppers at 543-TIPS (543-8477) or Detective Gutierrez at 543-1373 and mention Crime Stoppers.

Crime Stoppers informants do not have to give their name: They're given a code number, and no tapes or Caller I.D. are used. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and grand jury indictment of wanted felons.