
Missoula Theft: How Tracking Technology Led to Recovery Efforts
Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On January 29, 2025, a Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputy and a Corporal were responding to a report of a stolen vehicle at the Days Inn. The complainant reported that her 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 was gone. She suspected that 39-year-old Eric Wilkins had stolen the vehicle while she was asleep.
She told the deputy that she had known Wilkins for approximately one year and that she was currently staying at the Days Inn, where she had run into Wilkins the previous day. Due to the cold weather, she offered to let Wilkins stay the night in her room. She reported that she woke up around 11:00 AM and noticed that Wilkins was gone.
Shortly after waking up, she went to retrieve her phone from her purse. At this time, she realized that her phone and keys to her vehicle were stolen. She looked outside and saw that her vehicle was gone.
Over the next few hours, she was in communications with Wilkins, attempting to get him to return the vehicle, which he refused to do. At 5:43 PM, she called into Dispatch to report the truck as stolen. She informed deputies that she was actively tracking her phone and observed the phone traveled around the area of Cooley Street until it stopped in a trailer court near Byron Street and Sherwood Street.
The deputy was able to locate the vehicle parked at this location, unoccupied, and found the keys were not with the vehicle. The owner was advised of the location of the vehicle and responded to the scene. When she arrived, she and deputies continued to track the cell phone, which was then across the street at Zoo Nutrition on W Broadway.
READ MORE: Missoula News – Crime Reports
A corporal responded to this location and located Wilkins inside of the building filling up a cup of coffee. As he was approaching Wilkins, the phone started ringing, which was the owner activating the “sound” feature on her Find My iPhone App.
The corporal detained Wilkins and Wilkins stated that the keys to his truck were in his pocket. Wilkins was placed under arrest and the cellphone and truck keys were returned to the owner.
Wilkins was transported to the Missoula County Detention Center where he is currently being charged with felony theft of property of a light vehicle.
The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.
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