Few Clues in Stolen ATV Case, Missoula Sheriff’s Department Looking for Help

Sometime between 5:00 p.m. May 20, and the early morning hours of May 21, an unknown suspect broke into an unlocked garage near the 1600 block of Big Flat road in Missoula, and stole a Polaris ATV.

"Things had been rearranged in the homeowner's garage so the suspects could open the garage door and remove it without disrupting much of what was inside of the shop," said Missoula County Sheriff's Department Spokeswoman Paige Pavalone. "It was also determined that it is likely that the suspects put the vehicle in neutral and pushed it away from the house before starting it, so as not to cause a disruption and wake people up during the commission of the theft."

Because the theft reveals an intimate knowledge of where the ATV was located and how to access it, Pavalone suggested that there is a strong likelihood that the thief had been to the residence before.

"The ATV was worth $8,000" Pavalone said. It's black and silver in color. It's a Polaris Ranger XT with and enclosed heated cab and utility box. It also had $150 of additional tools in the bed for accessoriies, pull-alongs, things like that. So, it's worth quite a lot of money."

Anyone with information about this crime is advised to call Crimestoppers at (406) 721-4444.