Burglary suspects arrested

The Daily Inter Lake

Kalispell police officers stopped two drivers Thursday, leading to arrests of two suspects in more than 20 burglaries and one man on a drugs charge.

The two burglary cases are unrelated.

"It was good, old-fashioned police work" that led to the arrests of Jeremiah Stankiewicz, 25, and Jason Mittelstedter, 25, both of Kalispell, according to police Chief Frank Garner.

His department has intensified its traffic patrol recently, which increases traffic safety but also "has a common by-product of finding people who need arresting."

Stankiewicz and Mittelstedter are examples, he said.

Officer Dave Thomason pulled over Stankiewicz on suspicion of speeding at about 9 p.m. on East Idaho. He learned there is a warrant for Stankiewicz on a probation violation in Nevada. Then he learned from a sheriff's deputy that Stankiewicz is a suspect in some burglaries.

Whitefish police detective Dan Frank had distributed surveillance photos of someone who burglarized Taco John's restaurant last week. Officers thought the same person had been involved in about 20 burglaries, including nine burglaries and three attempted burglaries to Whitefish businesses. Kalispell officers matched the photo to Stankiewicz.

According to a press release from the Whitefish Police Department, Stankiewicz was on house arrest for felony partner assault.

Kalispell police officers searched his vehicle - with his permission - and found items that included a pry tool, rubber gloves and rolled coins. Stankiewicz also had about $1,800, Garner said.

Officers obtained a search warrant for his Sixth Avenue West home.

There, they found a large amount of marijuana "bagged up, like for sale," scales, and other items, said Kalispell police detective Brian Fulford.

Police got a second search warrant related to the drugs they said they'd found. They arrested Kenneth Stiffler, 21, on a charge of possession of drugs with intent to sell.

The other arrest came when patrol officer Tony McDonnell was looking for a driver who was suspected of being intoxicated after leaving McDonald's.

McDonnell pulled over Mittelstedter's vehicle on West Center Street. Mittelstedter told he officer he hadn't been to the restaurant - a statement belied by the McDonald's bag sitting right next to him, Fulford said.

Mittelstedter further drew McDonnell's interest by attempting to cover up some tools in his vehicle.

Officers got a search warrant for the vehicle and found more tools - "a ton of them" - Garner said. Some matched tools reported stolen from a business.

Garner said police also found marijuana and prescription drugs in Mittelstedter's possession.

Officers are investigating whether Mittelstedter is connected to thefts of tools from construction sites across the valley.

"They usually don't commit just one" burglary, Fulford said about crooks.

Officers expect more arrests and more charges.

Items of evidence will be sent to the state crime lab, Fulford said.

Fulford and Garner said the arrests were the result of good cooperation among departments, good police work, and hard work.

Detective Jim Wardensky "worked over 30 hours straight on this," Fulford said.

"Sometimes people say, 'Don't you have anything better to do than write speeding tickets?'" Garner said. He talked about how traffic stops led to the arrests of serial killer Ted Bundy, Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, and suspects in DUIs and other crimes in Kalispell.

"The answer is no," Garner said.