Four car-theft suspects arrested in Medford - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

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Four car-theft suspects arrested in Medford Clockwise from top left, Emmett Calhoun, 31, Steven A. Martin, 28, Robert Simpson, 21, and Christina Cushman, 38, were arrested Tuesday in separate car-theft cases. Photo collage courtesy Medford police Wednesday Jan 18, 2017 at 10:12 AM Jan 18, 2017 at 4:15 PM Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune @RyanPfeil Four car-theft suspects from separate cases were arrested in Medford this week. Police arrested Emmett Calhoun Jr., 31, Steven Allen Martin, 28, and Christina Cushman, 38. Robert Simpson, 21, was already in custody since Jan. 15 for another car theft, methamphetamine possession and attempt to elude charges, Jackson County Jail records show. Calhoun, who was no longer listed in the jail Wednesday afternoon, was arraigned in Jackson County Circuit Court on charges of unauthorized use of a vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, and possession of methamphetamine, according to court records. Early Wednesday, police located the vehicle Calhoun is suspected of stealing parked in the Medford Center parking lot near Red Robin, according to a probable cause affidavit. The arresting officer also found a "loaded syringe" next to his backpack, which tested positive for methamphetamine. Police also found a knife the car's owner had reported as stolen. A tool box with approximately $300 worth of tools was not located. On Wednesday, Martin was still being held in jail without bail on a parole violation stemming from a previous theft conviction, jail records show. He was arraigned in Circuit Court for unauthorized use of a vehicle Tuesday. Police found him in the vehicle he is suspected of stealing, a 2003 BMW 325i, in a Jack in the Box parking lot at 2002 N. Pacific Highway Tuesday afternoon, according to an affidavit. A week before his arrest, the vehicle's owner told police a man she only knew as "Kaos" had stolen the vehicle from her driveway. Simpson was arraigned in Circuit Court on charges of unauthorized use of a vehicle and second-degree theft for allegedly stealing a pickup truck and stealing license plates from another vehicle, according to an affidavit. He remains in jail on $30,000 bail. Medford police publicized the arrests on its Facebook page and said the city is in the midst of a car-theft spike, with many incidents stemming from keys being left in vehicles with doors unlocked. "We again ask that people take precautions to secure your vehicle, and do not leave spare keys inside," the Facebook post said. "A lot of these stolen vehicles are involved in police pursuits, which creates a great danger to us all." — Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil.