COLFAX—Deputies from the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office made two arrests early Saturday morning in connection with a rash of burglaries and break-ins that occurred over the past several months in northern Whitman County.

Kenneth L. Himes, 34, was arrested at his home in Tekoa, Wash. for direct involvement in the burglaries. Lance H. Garett, 35, of Tensed, Idaho faces charges in Benewah County for possession of stolen property related to the investigation.

Sheriff Brett Myers said deputies identified several suspects and pursued numerous leads before ending up in Tensed, where on Friday night they located an ATV and two motorcycles that were stolen from Tekoa and Rosalia, Wash.

Deputies executed a search warrant Sunday morning at a home in Tekoa, where they recovered thousands of dollars in stolen property related to a burglary at a nearby storage unit.

Deputies recovered a stolen utility vehicle and thousands of dollars in tools Saturday morning from another residence in Tensed. The items were stolen from a residence in Whitman County.

Pullman Police Cmdr. Chris Tennant said there is no connection between these burglaries and the Seattle-based burglary ring that is suspected to frequent Pullman and surrounding areas.

Additional property is expected to be recovered and other persons might be arrested as the investigation continues, Myers said.

“Unfortunately, we are seeing this type of activity all too often in Whitman County,” he said. “As long as we have the resources to do so, we will continue to send a strong message to thieves that Whitman County is not the place to commit your crimes.”