Two teenage boys from the Plato area are being held by juvenile officials following their arrests related to a series of crimes last month.
The Texas County Sheriff’s Department said on Feb. 27, a man reported that two high value livestock were shot and killed on his property near Huggins. Later the same day, authorities received another report from a man who said 10 guns had been stolen from his Turley Road residence near Plato.
Also on the same day, officials from Plato Schools told the sheriff’s department a student had reported seeing a boy with a pistol on a school bus.
Investigations by the sheriff’s department and the county juvenile office linked all three incidents to the two boys. They were also involved with another break-in the same day involving property damage at a second Turley Road residence.
Authorities said that after being apprehended, the pair also admitted to theft of an ATV in Laclede County. The vehicle was recovered the following day ditched alongside Turley Road. Eight of the swiped firearms and a pair of Muck boots stolen from the same house were also recovered during the investigation.
The two boys were turned over to juvenile division officials and have been held since their arrest.