Jewelry thieves caught in Wharton
By BARRY HALVORSON bhalvorson@journal-spectator.com

Staff Photo by Barry Halvorson Police and state troopers inspect a van operated by a trio of men who allegedly burglarized a Victoria mall.

A trio of Houston men proved once again you can't outrun a radio as they were arrested in Wharton after allegedly pulling off a theft at the Victoria Mall.

Acting on a radio broadcast to be on the look out for a red van thought to be involved, Department of Public Safety Trooper Royce Korenek pulled over a vehicle matching the description on the off-ramp of the U.S. 59 and FM 102 intersection.

Korenek took all three of the men into custody on a charge of possession of stolen property over $10,000.

The Wharton County jail identified the trio as Thomas Watkins, 33; Pierre Clark, 22; and Undrake Clark, 34, all of Houston.

At last report, they were still waiting to be read a magistrate's warning at the jail.

"We were able to recover several bundles of goods believed to have been taken during the theft," DPS Sgt. Danny Terronez said.

"It is my understanding that a witness followed the van to Edna and then contacted the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. A radio report describing the vehicle and suspects was then put out."

Terronez described the items recovered as being jewelry.

Victoria Police Detective Kelly Luther confirmed the items missing from the mall were jewelry.

She added the mall was open for early morning walkers but the stores had not opened for business.

"It happened around 7:30 a.m.," she said.

"The mall is open at that time for the walkers. Those people know each other and the three men were out of place for that time of the day so word got around fast."

She said the theft was witnessed by a number of people.

"The man that followed them didn't see the actual theft but did see three men meeting the description given by some of the walkers," Luther said.

"So he followed them and then contacted law enforcement officials in Jackson County."

No information on any pending charges in Victoria was available at press time.