Two men have been arrested in connection with a multicounty burglary ring that included burglaries in Cole County.
Acting on a tip, Howard County sheriff's deputies made the arrests. Sheriff Charlie Polson said the tip indicated someone in the New Franklin area possessed stolen merchandise.
Joshua Baxter, 23, Boonville, who was in possession of narcotics and a stolen handgun from a Boone County burglary, was taken into custody Thursday night, and Joshua L. Kissinger, 24, New Franklin, was taken into custody Friday morning.
Polson said they have recovered items from burglaries in Randolph, Chariton, Howard, Cooper, Boone and Cole counties.
He said authorities do believe these are the two main suspects in those burglaries.
Polson said the stolen items were sold, so officers have a lot of work to do to find out who bought them and where the items are located.
Kissinger and Baxter are on parole; both have lengthy criminal records.
A multijurisdictional task force has been investigating the burglaries, which started in October. Cole County authorities said the burglaries here occurred last month with electronics and weapons the items that were targeted.