Two Accused in Wendell Robbery Arrested
WENDELL, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) Two men wanted in relation to a burglary and truck theft in Wendell were arrested in Ada County. The Gooding County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Cruz Rubalcaba, of Wendell, and Zachary Tyler, of Twin Falls were arrested.
The sheriff’s office believes the two men lead authorities on a high speed chase in Jerome County in a stolen truck Monday. The chase resulted in authorities recovering the stolen truck, but not in apprehending the men.
Gooding County Sheriff Shaun Gough could not release information on how the men were caught, what they will be charged with, or what was recovered in the vehicle. He did say they would be able to release more information on Thursday.
Paula Simerly, the owner of Simerly’s, says the men stole four firearms from the store early Sunday morning. She had not heard if they were all recovered on Wednesday afternoon. She did say the Sheriff’s Office told her Rubalcaba and Tyler were arrested with another person.
Simerly was relieved to hear that the men were arrested without people getting seriously hurt.
“I worried that one of those guys was going to end up dead before this was all over with, or somebody” Simerly said. “You still care about what happens to them, I didn’t take this personally.”
Security footage shows two men breaking a glass door to Simerly’s early Sunday morning. The men waited 20 minutes then entered the store and went to the firearms. Once in the store the whole incident took less than a minute.
“I’m not exaggerating when I say they ran in and ran out,” Simerly said.
The men entered while a bakery employee was in the store working. Simerly said there is normally an alarm, but the employee had disarmed it.
Simerly was happy the men and her employee didn’t cross paths.
“She was shook up,” Simerly said. “She did not hear the glass break, she did not know they were in the building.”
Simerly also pointed out the community was very helpful when she posted on social media about the incident. She believes the community’s help identifying the people aided police in catching them.