IDAHO FALLS — Two Utah men have been arrested and charged after allegedly stealing $70,000 in cash from D&L Cleaners in 2024 after the Fourth of July.
Thomas Jeffrey Ward was charged with felony burglary and felony grand theft.
Jimmy Jack Olson was charged with the same two felonies as Ward and received alternative charges, which allege Olson conspired to help Ward commit the two felonies.
Both men were charged in January, but Ward did not have his initial appearance until May 15, after a warrant for his arrest was served.
If Ward is found guilty, he faces up to 24 years in prison. Olson faces a potential punishment of up to 10 years in prison for the felonies, but if he is found guilty on the conspiracy charges, that could be up to 24 years.
Each man also received a persistent violator charge, which, if they are convicted, would add a minimum of five years to their sentences.
RELATED | Police try to identify burglary suspect who stole cash from laundry business
According to the court documents, a tip came in to Idaho Falls Police in which the tipster had heard a conversation about the burglary. The tipster alleged that Olson was the passenger and Ward was the one who broke into D&L Cleaners, which matched with what was seen in security camera video.
The document states Ward and Olson had traveled from different cities in Utah to meet in Pocatello and drove to Idaho Falls in a white Chevrolet Tahoe.
Once in Idaho Falls, the pair pulled into the parking lot of D&L Cleaners on 1588 West Broadway, which was closed for the Fourth of July.
The document states that around 7:30 p.m., Olson and Ward walked around D&L Cleaners, checked its doors and windows, returned to the Tahoe, and left.
Around 11:20 p.m., the two men are seen on the video surveillance walking behind the business, wearing the same clothing seen earlier in the day.
A few minutes after midnight, Ward is seen being dropped off behind D&L Cleaners and entering the business.
The document states Ward, wearing a black mask, entered the manager’s office, “where the safe was pried open and $70,000.00 in cash was stolen.”
Ward is seen leaving the business, and the Tahoe was also spotted driving by.
The document states Ward was interviewed and admitted being in Idaho Falls, and going to the laundromat. He also said he was in the area where the burglary occurred but did not provide a “legitimate explanation as to why he traveled from Utah to Idaho Falls.”
Olson is scheduled for a pre-trial conference at 9 a.m. before District Judge Michael Whyte on June 16.
Ward has a preliminary scheduled for 1 p.m. on May 28 before Magistrate Judge John Dewey.
=htmlentities(get_the_title())?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=get_permalink()?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=htmlentities(‘For more stories like this one, be sure to visit https://www.eastidahonews.com/ for all of the latest news, community events and more.’)?>&subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20EastIdahoNews” class=”fa-stack jDialog”>
