Follow that cell phone!

POST FALLS — Ping! Caught ya!

Thanks to a victim's cell phone in the alleged getaway vehicle, two suspects believed tied to the recent string of smash-and-grab auto burglaries throughout Kootenai County in business parking lots were arrested this week.

Jordanne Gibson, 30, Pembroke Pines, Fla., and Delvin Mills, 24, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., were arrested Tuesday morning by Washington State Patrol near the Argonne exit of Interstate 90 in Spokane Valley after alleged thefts at three Post Falls day care centers.

"We were able get WSP on the phone in real time to track the pinging of the cell phone," said Post Falls Police Detective Dave Beck, referring to how suspects were found.

Beck said a witness of one of the alleged Post Falls incidents was also able to obtain a description of the white Nissan Infiniti QZ with Nevada plates and license plate information.

The suspects' method of operation was using rental vehicles to keep any vehicle descriptions in the cases in flux, breaking windows after victims went inside businesses and quickly stealing items such as purses, cell phones and credit cards, Beck said.

"This is a prime example of how a citizen's awareness and technology can help us," Beck said. "It was also a nice joint effort between us, WSP, Kootenai County and Coeur d'Alene which assisted with crime analysis information. Hopefully this will prevent some more car burglaries from happening because we were definitely seeing an increase."

The suspects were arrested without incident at a car wash and booked into the Spokane County Jail on possession of stolen property and identity theft, said WSP Trooper Jeff Sevigney.

Beck said the suspects may be tied to as many as six or seven thefts in Post Falls over the past 10 days. Kootenai County is also investigating similar cases that were reported at Corbin Park in Post Falls.

Coeur d'Alene Police Detective Jared Reneau said that agency has had two recent cases with the same MO.

"At this time it's not clear if they are related to the Post Falls cases," he said. "We are still looking into that."

Post Falls day care parking lots the suspects allegedly hit within a 45-minute span on Tuesday morning before being arrested included: A Growing Place, 3622 E. Mullan Ave.; Creative Kids, 2225 W. Seltice Way; and Kinderprep, 1710 E. Seltice Way.

Two vehicles at Peak Fitness, 927 E. Polston Ave., and another at Super 1 Foods, 805 E. Polston Ave., were targeted on Saturday.