MAN PUT ON PROBATION FOR THEFTS, CHASE

JACKSON, Mo. -- One of two men who stole cars, broke into houses near Whitewater, Mo., and led police on a multistate chase was given supervised probation after pleading guilty, court officials said.

Benjamin Brase, 18, was sentenced this week after pleading guilty to burglarizing two houses and stealing two vehicles on Route N last February.

Brase, of Sikeston, Mo., received two five-year terms of supervised probation for the burglaries and two six-year terms of supervised probation for stealing a Mitsubishi Eclipse and a Ford F-150 pickup.

Along with Michael Wilkins, 19, of De Soto, Mo., Brase eluded law enforcement officers for two days.

They wrecked their own car and the stolen Mitsubishi on Route N before successfully driving off in the pickup truck, officers had said.

A stolen check was later cashed by the suspects at a store in Advance, Mo.

Eventually they traveled to Gulf Shores, Ala., where they were arrested by police at a motel.

Wilkins, who is charged with two vehicle thefts, is scheduled for sentencing on July 9.