WHEATLAND – In the early morning hours of Wednesday, November 22, citizens of Wheatland were victims of random theft of their possessions in unlocked cars.

The first report of stolen items came at 5:40 a.m., and while Wheatland police officers were investigating, people in the neighborhood started to notice they had things missing as well and reported it to the officers. In all, 10 reports were made. All vehicles were unlocked with valuables in plain sight, explained Wheatland Police Chief, Doug Willadsen.

There were multiple rifles and handguns stolen, as well as other valuables including an iPad. The iPad had a tracker application in operation on the device and the owner cooperated with police to track the suspect, who was caught hours later near Lusk.

“The responding officers did a great job. Everything worked out the best possible way it could,” Chief Willadsen said.

He added the fact the tracker on an iPad was turned on directly led to being able to catch the suspect.

As it turned out, through the cooperation of the iPad’s owner and collaboration between Wheatland Police Department, Platte County Sheriff’s Department, Niobrara County Sheriff’s Department, and the Wyoming Highway Patrol, James Matthew Neal II, 23, of Denver, Colorado was apprehended by 10:30 a.m. with the stolen property. The property was returned to the owners the same day.

Neal is being held in jail at the Goshen County Detention Center, awaiting extradition to Colorado in connection to a homicide November 4 in Lone Tree, Colorado, in addition to motor vehicle theft, and possession of a weapon by a previous offender. 

As a person of interest in the homicide, a reward was offered by metrodenvercrimestoppers.com for tips on Neal’s whereabouts prior to his arrest. In November 2020, Neal pled guilty to second-degree assault and served three years in detention, less 162 days credit for time he already spent in jail.

Addressing the thefts in Wheatland, Chief Willadsen said, “We trust our neighbors – we know them, but we don’t trust everyone traveling down the interstate. It’s a good deterrent to lock your stuff up and keep it out of sight. Don’t make it easy for criminals to target you.”

Chief Willadsen also strongly encourages the public to call the police if you think something is suspicious. “We’re on the job, 24-7, and it’s our job to check into citizens’ concerns. We want to come and look even if it turns out to be nothing.”