Police in Red Oak arrested three people this week in connection with stolen vehicles and alleged attempts at identity theft. Tuesday afternoon, a Pottawattamie County man was arrested for felony Possession of Stolen Property. 21-year old Timothy Allen Stubbs, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody after officers investigated a citizen’s report of a van that had driven south along the four-wheeler off road trails in the vicinity of the West Coolbaugh Street boat ramp to the East Nishnabotna River.  The officer was told the van was parked in a wooded area of the river, and the driver took off on foot.

Officers approached the van and recognized it as having been reported stolen last Sunday. The van in question had Colorado license plates, while the vehicle reported stolen to police had Iowa plates. A check of the VIN confirmed the vehicle was reported stolen to Red Oak Police. With the assistance of Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies, Stubbs was located and taken into custody.

One day earlier (Monday), Red Oak Police were notified by authorities in Mills County, that a vehicle was recovered in Mills County that bore Iowa license plates assigned to the van reported stolen in Red Oak on Sunday. The vehicle they recovered had been stolen from a residence in rural Treynor. On Tuesday, Red Oak Police received word from a Pott. County Sheriff’s investigator, that the van discovered Tuesday had been in the Council Bluffs area and individuals who had occupied the vehicle, tried to open lines of credit in other persons’ names.

A search warrant was executed Tuesday by Red Oak Police and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies at a residence in the 300 block of 2nd Avenue in Red Oak, with regard to the recovery of the stolen van and incidents in Pott. County. As a result of the warrant, authorities arrested 28-year old Richard Dean Pierce III, and 30-year old Katie Marie Pierce. Richard Pierce III was charged with felony Possession of stolen property and Possession  of Drug Paraphernalia. Katie Pierce was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Late Tuesday night, Red Oak Police and deputies with the Montgomery and Mills County Sheriff’s Offices executed a search warrant at a residence in Mills County, with regard to the stolen vehicles and thefts. Additional arrests were made, but no further details were immediately available.

Red Oak Police want to thank the Montgomery, Mills County and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Offices as well as the Montgomery County K9 Unit, for their assistance in investigating the incidents.