Frederick B. Purcell

A third person, 18 year old FREDERICK B. PURCELL of Salem, Arkansas has been arrested and charged in connection with several Commercial Burglaries and Thefts committed in Baxter County over the past several months.

Purcell’s arrest follows that of Joshua M. Bryant and Andrew S. Whitfield, both of Gassville, on charges stemming from the same incidents.

Frederick Purcell is currently being held in the Baxter County Detention Center the following charges:

Commercial Burglary (8 counts) – Class C Felonies
Theft of Property (1 count) – Class D Felony
Criminal Attempt to Commit Commercial Burglary (1 count) – Class D Felony
Theft of Property (7 counts) – Class A Misdemeanors

Bond for Purcell is currently set at $55,000, and he will appear in Baxter County Circuit Court on September 29th.

The investigation into these burglaries is continuing, and additional arrests are possible.

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Two persons are in custody at the Baxter County Detention Center on multiple Burglary and Theft charges following their arrest today for their involvement in fifteen (15) Commercial Burglaries in Baxter County, Fulton County, and Mountain Home.

Investigators from the Baxter and Fulton County Sheriff’s Offices and the Mountain Home Police Department had been investigating a series of break-ins at area businesses over the past several months. These included eight (8) in Baxter County, three (3) in Mountain Home, and four (4) in Fulton County.

The eight (8) Baxter County burglaries included the following:

The Blu Pig Restaurant – 3 Burglaries
S. & L. Recycling – 1 Burglary
Art’s Kitchen Restaurant – 1 Burglary
Brenda’s Café – 2 Burglaries
Kay’s Grocery – 1 Burglary

Arrested today were:

Joshua Martin Bryant, 18 years old of Gassville, charged with:

Commercial Burglary (8 counts) – Class C Felonies
Attempted Commercial Burglary (1 count) – Class D Felony
Theft of Property (1 count) – Class D Felony
Theft of Property (7 counts) – Class A Misdemeanors

Joshua Bryant is being held on $55,000 bond.

Andrew Scott Whitfield, 18 years old of Gassville, charged with:

Commercial Burglary (1 count) – Class C Felony
Theft of Property (1 count) – Class D Felony

Andrew Whitfield is being held on $10,000 bond.

Both Bryant and Whitfield will appear at a later date in Baxter County Circuit Court. Some of the stolen merchandise was recovered from their possession.

A third suspect is being sought, and his arrest is anticipated.

John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff