Woman arrested in burglary roundup

The Daily Inter Lake

Whitefish police announced Wednesday the arrest of a 26-year-old woman suspected as an accomplice in a burglary ring that was operating here.

In a press release, Whitefish police said Rebecca Ann Highfill of Kalispell was arrested by Seattle Port Authority Police as she stepped off a Horizon Air flight from Kalispell. An arrest warrant had been issued based on evidence presented to the Flathead County attorney.

Det. Lt. Roger Bergstrom of the Whitefish police said that Highfill was identified with Stankiewicz in July from a Wal-Mart security camera video. She is accused of using a check that was stolen during a Dairy Queen burglary.

Police say Highfill allegedly served as an accomplice to Jeremiah Stankiewicz, 25, who was arrested by Kalispell police on Nov. 9. The two stand accused of involvement in more than 20 burglaries in Whitefish, Kalispell, Columbia Falls and Lake County.

Highfill is being held in Seattle pending extradition to Flathead County. Her bond is set at $30,000.

Highfill, a Kalispell native, has worked as a stripper in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Stankiewicz apparently followed Highfill from Las Vegas where he was a three-time felon for residential and business burglaries.

Another man, Jason Mittelstedter, 25, was arrested on the same day as Stankiewicz by Kalispell police for alleged involvement in burglaries. Separate traffic stops nabbed both men.

According to the press release, Whitefish police anticipate more arrests as a result of the ongoing investigation.

"This is just the start," Bergstrom said.