Cape man accused of stealing ATV, dirt bike

A Cape Girardeau man is accused of stealing an all-terrain vehicle and dirt motorcycle from a county residence Monday. He admitted to police he painted the ATV blue to disguise it, according to a law-enforcement report.

Travis Michael Gockel, 18, is charged with felony counts of second-degree burglary, stealing and first-degree property damage. He was arrested by Cape Girardeau County sheriff’s deputies Tuesday. Gockel’s bond was set at $10,000 cash or surety.

The owner of the residence, in the 5600 block of County Road 535, reported a burglary and theft Monday, according to a probable-cause statement filed by deputy Zach Snyder. The property owner saw a dark-colored Chevrolet truck with two occupants taking a Honda ATV from his property about 5:30 p.m. Friday, according to the statement.

The owner thought one of the truck drivers was the owner of the ATV, but he checked with the owner of the ATV and the Yamaha motorcycle Monday and found neither had picked them up.

Sheriff’s deputies went back to the property at 6:33 p.m. Monday because the property owner said three young men showed up in a Ford Ranger, Snyder wrote. The owner said he and his son made contact with the men in the truck, but one of them pulled what appeared to be a firearm on the owner’s son. In the subsequent confusion, the three men sped away from the property in the truck, according to the statement.

Deputies searched the area and found the Ranger parked in the 100 block of Aztec Lane and talked with the registered owner of the truck, who told them Gockel had stolen the items, according to the statement. Gockel was found in the 2500 block of Hill Top Lane, and deputies recovered a pellet pistol Gockel allegedly used during the incident with the property owner. Gockel told sheriff’s Cpl. James Malugen he stole all the items over two nights, making several trips, according to the statement.

“Gockel also admitted to painting the Honda 400EX blue in an effort to disguise it, causing irreversible damage to the exterior of the ATV,” Snyder wrote.

The ATV, motorcross jersey, gloves and helmets were recovered at the Aztec Lane house, according to police; the motorcycle was recovered at Gockel’s residence.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

5600 block of County Road 535, Cape Girardeau, Mo.