A Texarkana man is accused of helping plan the theft, relocation, and destruction of his own truck and camper as part of a scheme to obtain an insurance payout, according to newly filed documents.
Cameron Flores, Kenneth Shavers and Niklas Burkland are charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – Theft of Property Over $30,000 Under $150,000, a second-degree felony. They each face two to 20 years in prison if convicted.
The Initial Theft Report
An officer with the Texarkana Texas Police Department responded Oct. 27 to Flores’ business at 2022 Texas Boulevard in Texarkana, Texas, after he reported that his 2020 Ford F-250 and attached Puma camper had been stolen overnight, according to a probable cause affidavit. He said the vehicles had been listed for sale for about six months.
Surveillance video showed a suspect entering the property just after 11:27 p.m. on October 24 and driving away with the truck and camper.
Surveillance Footage Reveals a Lead
Detective Lauren Freeman took over the case on Oct. 28 and obtained additional surveillance video showing a large black Ford F-350 dually near the scene minutes before the theft. The truck, equipped with distinctive overhead lighting, stopped on 21st Street before a male wearing dark clothing got out, entered the gated property, and drove away in Flores’ truck and camper.
Flock Cameras Identify Suspect Vehicle
Detective Freeman then searched the region’s Flock license-plate camera system for the suspect vehicle.
Flock captured a truck matching the surveillance images at several locations.
A short time later, the same truck was allegedly observed returning to Shavers Diesel and Auto, a business tied to the Shavers family. Further investigation allegedly tied the truck to Kenneth Shavers, whose family owns property where the stolen items were later believed to be stored.
Tracking the Stolen Truck
Flores told detectives he had re-downloaded the FordPass app. The app allegedly showed the truck’s last known location was logged at 2:00 a.m. on Oct. 25 on property owned and managed by members of the Shavers family, according to Bowie County Appraisal District records.
Detectives attempted to search the location but were unable to access the suspected area without a warrant.
Truck Found, Camper Found Destroyed
A Bowie County deputy located the stolen F-250 dumped near CR 3310 and CR 4321 on Oct. 29. It showed signs of attempted arson using red diesel.
A search warrant executed at the Shavers property uncovered fresh trailer tracks, camper parts, and game cameras. Images from the game cameras showed the stolen truck and camper on the property at 2:40 a.m. on Oct. 25. Shavers and Burkland were identified on camera with an unidentified white male.
A completely burned Puma camper was discovered Oct. 29 by McCurtain County, Oklahoma, deputies.
Both Shavers and Burkland were arrested Oct. 31.
Evidence Points Back to Flores
Initially, Flores was treated as the victim. However, phone records, deleted text messages, and statements from a witness eventually pointed investigators back to him.
Messages retrieved from Shavers’ phone allegedly showed Flores had sent photos of the lockbox and its location, helping Burkland gain access to the property before the theft. These messages had allegedly been deleted from the versions Flores voluntarily turned over to police.
A cooperating party allegedly told detectives Flores had approached him weeks earlier, proposing they “get rid of” the truck and camper for an insurance payout. The cooperating party allegedly admitted he removed the truck and camper using keys Flores left inside the vehicle.
The cooperating party said he delivered the stolen items to property in DeKalb, disabled GPS tracking, and returned the key to Flores in the parking lot of Fat Jack’s bar on State Line Ave. in Texarkana, Ark., so Flores would appear to still have it.
As detectives prepared a search warrant for the property, Flores allegedly contacted the cooperating party and instructed him to “get rid of it, burn it, whatever.”
Insurance Contact Raised Suspicion
Investigators later discovered Flores called his State Farm agent at 8:15 a.m. on Oct. 24, more than 25 minutes before he called police to report the theft at 8:44 a.m.
Flores allegedly gave $5,000 to help bond one of his co-defendants out of jail. Flores reportedly called the cooperating party in a panic, telling him to destroy the truck and camper before detectives returned with a search warrant.
The investigation remains active.
