Police: Wanted man found armed in Whitewright crawl space after vehicle-burglary call

By GvilleTX Newsroom

Whitewright police said a July 29 burglary-of-a-motor-vehicle investigation on West Elm Street led officers to arrest Jeffrey Gilbreath, a fugitive with active Fannin County felony warrants, at a West Cedar Street home after he refused commands and Grayson County Special Response Team members took him into custody. For Gainesville-area readers, the location context is that the Whitewright Public Library says Whitewright is mostly in Grayson County, with part of the city in Fannin County.

Whitewright police said officers were investigating vehicle burglaries on West Elm Street when the case led them to Gilbreath at a residence on West Cedar Street. Grayson County SRT later took part in the response, according to the police department.

SRT personnel found Gilbreath armed in a small crawl space behind a wall inside the residence, Whitewright police said. Police said he had refused commands before SRT members took him into custody.

A firearm had been stolen from one of the burglarized vehicles, police said. Officers recovered the gun and other property taken from the vehicle burglaries, according to the department.

Whitewright police identified Gilbreath as a wanted fugitive and said the active felony warrants were out of Fannin County. The verified police account used for this report did not provide the specific warrant charges.

The Grayson County Sheriff's Office says its Special Response Team is a mobile unit used for hostage calls and arrests requiring special tactics. Whitewright police said that team took Gilbreath into custody at the West Cedar Street residence.

The city police department page says Whitewright has a four-officer police department, with a chief, a sergeant and two patrol officers. Whitewright's 2025-26 city budget lists police-department expenses at $377,964 and includes four line items for police cell phones.

Tom Bean's police page gives another example of Grayson County law-enforcement support in the area. It says Grayson County Sheriff's Office dispatch answers Tom Bean Police Department's non-emergency line to provide 24-hour phone availability.