Two men are facing charges of second degree burglary and conspiracy to commit second degree burglary in connection with a February break-in at a local restaurant.
Police also contend that 21-year-old Matthew Garrett Moreland, of Tulsa, and 24-year-old Jared Prentice Shelton, of Owasso, played a part in a string of Golden Corral burglaries throughout Oklahoma and Arkansas.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Moreland’s case, the local burglary occurred on the night of Feb. 16.
Reportedly, the safe from the restaurant had been removed. At that time, it appeared as if the suspect had “busted through the paneling and sheet rock wall” to gain access to the safe, the affidavit states. Police also note that the suspect apparently used the attic crawl space to gain access to the restaurant.
Police were informed at that time that several other Golden Corral restaurants had been burglarized in a similar manner in recent months, as well as a bank in Van Buren, Ark.
Moreland had been arrested once on charges stemming from one of the restaurant burglaries in Arkansas. Authorities say he had confessed to the crime but had summarily bonded out on the charge. Arkansas detectives reported that they had determined there were at least three people involved in the burglary.
Later on June 29, Bartlesville Police Department investigators received information that a search warrant had been served on Shelton’s home in Owasso and that he was willing to speak. He reportedly told police that Moreland had called him on the day in question and asked him if he “wanted to make some money.”
He said the two then met with another man who assisted them with moving the safe after he and Moreland finished the burglary, according to the affidavit. He estimated they had gotten “$1,000 -$2,000” in the burglary.
Moreland is being held on $150,000 bond while Shelton was to have bond set this afternoon.