LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Henderson police have arrested a pair of suspects in connection to an ongoing string of cactus thefts in the city.
Court documents indicated that the Henderson Police Department Property Unit has been investigating multiple individuals who stoles cactuses from multiple new-build communities in Henderson since October, 2023. HPD said that there have been at least three theft events with approximately $8,000 in cactuses stolen.
Investigators determined that a pair of suspects, Jaime Chrusch and Shawn Chrusch, would reportedly arrive at locations in a Nissan Frontier, exit the vehicle and “forcibly uproot and steal numerous cacti from multiple landscapes.” If they were not yet planted, the suspects would steal the cactuses and the containers they were in.
Police determined that the same vehicle was involved in at least three different theft events in Henderson:
- October 19, 2023, theft of $600 in value
- January 31, 2024, theft of $2,400 in value
- February 18, 2024, theft of $1,000 in value
Police spoke to a Cadence Community manager who witnessed the first theft and described two unknown men driving a silver Nissan Frontier away after taking half a dozen unplanted barrel cactuses from the area of N. Water St. and E. Sunset Rd. A second witness spoke to police following that same theft and corroborated the story, describing two men pulling cactuses up from the landscaping and throwing them into the back of a Nissan truck.
Henderson detectives continued interviewing more witnesses in February, who described the suspects as a pair of white men in their 30s or 40s. One also provided license plate information for the Nissan truck.
Investigators obtained information on Jaime Chrusch and Shawn Chrusch and confirmed that they had a similar appearance to the suspects seen in surveillance video. Jaime Chrusch also had a residence in Henderson.
On Feb. 26, police drove by that address and saw a Nissan Frontier parked in front of it. Jaime Chrusch was seen getting out of that vehicle while wearing distinctive clothing also seen in surveillance video.
Police searched online marketplaces two days later and found a profile that appeared to be selling several types of cactuses matching those that were stolen. Several listings included photos with the Nissan truck visible in the background. The profile selling the cactuses noted its location as “Downtown Henderson by Water Street,” which is approximately half a mile away from the suspect’s residence.
A traffic stop of the Nissan truck was initiated on March 5 when the vehicle was seen with an expired registration. Jaime Chrusch was driving and Shawn Chrusch was in the passenger seat. Detectives arrived on the scene to assist and spotted a freshly uprooted barrel cactus in the back of the Nissan.
The men claimed that they were granted permission to remove the cactuses. Police secured a search warrant for the suspects’ cell phones and data indicated that the men’s devices were present in the area of the theft events in January and February.
The suspects were each booked on charges of theft of at least $1,200 but less than $5,000.
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