Man arrested in church burglary

A 23-year-old Elk-area resident was arrested Friday, and sheriff’s deputies were looking for a Shadle Park High School student in connection with a church burglary that caused thousands of dollars worth of damage.

Robert J. Frates, 4125 E. Oregon Road, was booked into jail on suspicion of second-degree burglary and first-degree malicious mischief. Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan didn’t name the 17-year-old Shadle Park suspect.

Reagan said the burglary occurred sometime overnight Thursday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 34221 N. Newport Highway, and was discovered about 5 a.m. Friday by a church worker who locked herself into an office and called for help.

Deputies didn’t find the burglars in the church, but Reagan said an officer followed “very distinct” tracks to a mobile home park across the highway and found a home the suspects had entered. Residents of the mobile home park directed officers to Frates’ home.

Reagan said Frates had property stolen from the church when officers confronted him, and his shoes “exactly matched the footprints at the burglary.”

The burglars broke a window to enter the church and destroyed several “very expensive” interior doors by using a large rock to beat apart the doorknobs and hasps, Reagan said.