COLFAX – Monday morning, employees from the Whitman County Bridge Crew, working on a project near the base of Steptoe Canyon, reported their tool trailer had been broken into, and items had been taken over the weekend. This was the second time in two weeks the same trailer had been broken into.
Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office worked with land owners to secure security camera footage of a suspect and a possible vehicle involved in the incident. Within 24-hour deputies located a similar vehicle in Clarkston, which matched the description of the car they believed was involved in the break-in.
Wednesday afternoon, deputies contacted the vehicle owner at a residence in Lewiston and confirmed the vehicle was the exact vehicle involved in the break-in and theft. In addition, some of the items from the theft were observed in plain view in the back of the vehicle at that time. The vehicle’s owner, 39-year-old Kevin Brotherton of Lewiston, later admitted his involvement in the incident.
Brotherton was taken into custody and later booked into the Whitman County Jail on a variety of property crime-related charges, including Burglary and Theft. Additional persons of interest have been identified and may face charges for their involvement. Brotherton is scheduled to have his first appearance in Superior Court Thursday afternoon.
