Springdale police caught up to a University of Arkansas student they say stole several items out of cars during 18 area burglaries, including guns and thousands of dollars in cash.
Jackson Zink, 18, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of two counts of residential burglary and three counts of breaking and entering, along with suspicion of theft of property and criminal mischief. He remained Wednesday night in the Washington County Detention Center on $5,000 bond, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Springdale police responded in February to two car break-ins at a Walmart in Fayetteville, in which cash and credit cards were stolen. Detectives traced the cards to the purchase of a flat-screen TV at Walmart. Police looked at surveillance video of the purchase and tracked the car seen in the video, according to a preliminary report from the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office.
Detectives spoke with Zink’s parents, who convinced their son to turn himself in Monday. During an interview with detectives, Zink admitted to 18 cases of residential burglary and breaking and entering throughout Springdale, including the theft of four shotguns, rifles and a pistol, along with thousands of dollars in cash, according to the preliminary report.
Over the weekend, police had traced the sales of the stolen shotguns and rifles to a local pawn shop, the report states.
Zink was arrested and transported to jail.
