Suspect arrested, detained

The Daily Inter Lake

A Kalispell man suspected of burglarizing homes in the Foy's Lake area was arrested Wednesday afternoon.

Roger Alfredo Vargas, 21, was taken into custody by Flathead County sheriff's deputies on Lone Pine Road.

Investigators have not determined how many homes were hit during the daylight burglaries and what property allegedly was taken, Flathead County Undersheriff Pete Wingert said.

Deputies responded to Foy's Lake Road at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday after a man returning home reported seeing a burglar in his home. When a man fitting the suspect's description was seen fleeing from another home nearby, deputies gave chase and arrested Vargas after a short pursuit.

Detectives are investigating whether a backpack in Vargas' possession when he was arrested contains stolen property, Wingert said.

Vargas is being held in the Flathead County Detention Center pending charges from the Flathead County Attorney's Office.

When he was arrested Wednesday, Vargas was free on house arrest pending the adjudication of previous burglary charges.

Prosecutors allege Vargas broke into six homes on Shelter Valley Drive, Foy's Lake Road, Foy's Canyon Road and Two Mile Drive between November 2007 and January 2008.

Vargas, who had an accomplice during some of those break-ins, pleaded innocent in February to six counts of burglary and one count of theft, all felonies.

Items reported stolen during the first string of burglaries included cameras, a TV, a rifle with a scope, an iPod, knives, jewelry, a coin collection, prescription medication, a computer and a snowboard. The total value of items missing from the homes exceeded $4,500, according to court papers.

Vargas was arrested and charged with the burglaries after a witness saw him walking away from one of the homes allegedly broken into in January and identified him to investigators. Vargas reportedly was staying at a home nearby.

Much of the stolen property was recovered from Vargas' car or in the possession of his ex-girlfriend.

A conviction for burglary carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

Vargas also is facing one count of assault with a weapon after he allegedly pointed a gun at two women in November 2007. He pleaded innocent to that charge in January.