Two arrested following string of Benton County burglaries

CEDAR RAPIDS - Two Cedar Rapids residents have been arrested in connection with a string of residential burglaries in Benton County.

The Benton County Sheriff's Office received a complaint of an attempted burglary near Atkins on Monday, according to a news release. Later, a state trooper on Highway 30 spotted a vehicle and occupants that matched the description of the suspects. The trooper stopped the car as it entered Linn County, and items officials saw in the car were consistent with items taken over the last two months in several residential burglaries in the area.

Officials arrested the driver of the car, 44-year-old Gary Lee Driscoll, and a female passenger, 26-year-old Amanda Jo Willits.

The release said officials obtained search warrants for the car and found a “large quantity of items” believed to be taken during burglaries in Benton, Linn, Johnson, Poweshiek, Iowa and Tama counties.

“These arrests help facilitate a two month investigation that has involved multiple agencies,” the release said. “These arrests have solved most burglaries in that area of our County that have occurred since June.”

Officials will spend several days identifying all the items they recovered, according to the release.

The pair are being charged with a variety of felony and misdemeanor offenses. Those against Driscoll include first-degree theft and 10 counts of third-degree burglary. Willits faces charges including first-degree theft, four counts of second-degree theft, 14 counts of third-degree burglary and second-degree attempted burglary.

Both suspects are being held on $35,000 bonds.

Officials are still investigating the burglaries with the help of multiple agencies and anticipate more arrests and charges, the release said.