3 arrested in Carson Valley home-burglary spree

Three Gardnerville residents were arrested Tuesday afternoon in connection with at least 10 home burglaries in the Carson Valley, an official said.

Timothy Charles Morgan, 18; Robert Blaik Jorgenson, 25, and Melanie Marie Kern, 23, all of Gardnerville, were booked into the Douglas County Jail on suspicion of felony possession of stolen property. Morgan was additionally charged with probation violation and is being held without bail. Jorgenson was also charged with felony possession of burglary tools, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a public officer

His bail is set at $25,000. Kern is also being held on $25,000 bail.

According to Douglas County Sheriff's Sgt. Tom Mezzetta, investigators began to look at a series of burglaries.

"The burglaries were similar in that the act occurred during the day, that a rear or side door to the home was forcibly opened to gain access, that the home was ransacked and that cash, coin, jewelry and camera equipment was stolen," said Mezzetta.

During the course of the investigation, Morgan was identified by investigators as having a possible connection to the burglaries.

Mezzetta said, as a result of his suspected involvement, investigators set up surveillance of him.

During that surveillance Tuesday, Morgan was observed with Jorgenson and Kern in a vehicle headed to Minden.

As investigators formulated a plan to stop the vehicle, Mezzetta said, it's believed the trio was listening to a police scanner which tipped them off about the impending arrest.

The abandoned vehicle was later discovered in Minden on Esmeralda Avenue and Morgan, Kern and Jorgenson were stopped on foot near some sandpits.

"A search of the sandpits revealed a cache of stolen property," said Mezzetta.

He said investigators recovered additional stolen property at a home in the Gardnerville Ranchos allegedly used by the suspects.

"Those residents who have reported home burglaries will be contacted within the next few days to view the property recovered and identify that property belonging to them," said Mezzetta.

"Anyone else who has been similarly victimized within the past month or so who has not made a report to the sheriff's office is asked to contact 782-9905."