Man charged with grand theft after allegedly stealing from house while owner was in jail

RIGBY – A 38-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly stole tens of thousands of dollars worth of items from a home while the owner was incarcerated.

Trent Spann was charged with one count of felony grand theft.

On Nov. 1, around 1:58 p.m., officers with the Rigby City Police Department were called to a home in Rigby after the report of a theft.

When officers arrived at the house, they spoke with the victim, who told them that her house was broken into and robbed while she was in jail.

The items allegedly stolen included a 32″ TV, an 80″ TV, a bookcase, a fireplace, a wedding ring, her late husband’s military items, clothes, makeup, hygiene materials, security cameras, an iPhone, a wallet, an ID card, a military ID, a debit card, a credit card, tools, the keys to the house and the keys to her car.

According to the victim, she was released from jail on Oct. 31, and said she knew who stole from her. According to the woman, Spann blamed the theft on two other people, according to court documents.

Officers then met with Spann, who says when he got out of jail, he went to the victim’s house, and “everything in the house was already gone.”

While looking through security footage, officers found a potential car of interest, a white Ford F-350, parked outside the victim’s home on Oct. 29.

In the footage, a multicolored truck of an unrecognizable make, identified as Spann’s truck, arrives just a few minutes after the Ford.

When speaking to neighbors, officers learned that someone had come to the house and purchased the missing fireplace from “the owner of the older multicolored truck,” according to the police report.

Officers were able to contact the people who bought the fireplace, who said it had been listed on Facebook Marketplace and they had purchased it for $200. The creator of the post was Spann.

According to court documents, the people who bought the fireplace returned it to the Rigby Police Department to be recovered as stolen property.

When they returned to look at the Facebook post, Spann’s profile picture had reportedly been changed, and “everything was gone.”

They described Spann’s appearance and truck to officers, along with the listing photo of the fireplace, and the officer went back to the victim’s house to update her on the situation.

When he arrived, he saw that Spann and the victim were both at the home. Officers then arrested Spann, and explained to the victim what had happened with the fireplace.

While he was being handcuffed, the victim reportedly asked, “Why does that not surprise me?”

As they were leaving the house, the victim asked Spann why he didn’t tell her that he had stolen from her.

Spann reportedly replied that he “didn’t have any money for the dogs, I didn’t have any money for gas,” and that he didn’t mean to hurt her.

Spann apologized to the victim and was transported to the Jefferson County Jail, where he was released on his own recognizance on Monday.

Spann is expected to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 13. If convicted, he could face up to 14 years in prison.

Though Spann has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.