WHITE CO., Ill. - A number of thefts have been reported in White County and Carmi over the past several days, something that's common at this time of year but seems to be getting worse as time goes by.
Ahem. That’s the highway department’s barricade
It all begins a week ago, December 11, when Deputy Craig Poole took a theft report from Brian A. Ray of the White County Highway Department.
Ray advised that a roadway barricade had been stolen from its location at 2050N County Road 1625E. It was known to have last been seen on the day before during the afternoon hours, and noticed missing on the day of the report, around 8:10 a.m.
The barricade is the property of White County Highway Department, which means that whomever has it can - and likely will - be charged with a felony.
Thieves could be in more trouble if caught pulling it: registration’s expired
On Wednesday of last week, Dec. 12, Deputy George Spencer met with two individuals in the late morning. Tracy L. Tolley and David H. Newman came to the sheriff’s department to report that Tolley’s 1984 homemade trailer had been stolen from the storage facility located in the 200 block of East North Street in Enfield.
Newman advised that he’d been using the trailer and had parked the trailer between the storage buildings located at the southwest corner of the intersection of North and Walnut streets. Newman stated he had parked the trailer at this location at approximately 11:p.m. the night before. Newman stated he observed the trailer was missing at approximately 8 a.m. that morning. Newman stated this neighbor did not think anything of this at the time because the neighbor stated he thought it might be Tolley’s vehicle, which is also loud according to Newman.
Tolley advised that the trailer was a 1984 Homemade Flatbed trailer, black in color with white pinstriping. The registration on it was expired. Tolley provided a photo, reported the trailer stolen, and it was entered into the LEADS/NCIC database.
Vehicles damaged quite specifically
A resident came to to the sheriff’s department on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 13, to report a theft and criminal damage to his equipment located on County Road 2250E, east of Crossville.
Jeff Cox advised that persons unknown had taken two radiators, a two-in Honda water pump, and a hydraulic cylinder off a disk. The thieves also did considerable damage to a 955: Cat in an effort to remove the radiator. The two radiators were taken off vehicles parked at his location.
Cox said that he knew the equipment was present and accounted for at the end of September.
Ex was to have no-contact
A burglary was reported to the sheriff’s department on Thursday evening when Melissa Trout came to the SD to report the crime at her residence on the 1300 block of CR 856E, Carmi.
She advised that she’d observed her ex-boyfriend on that date, driving in the area of her residence. She said that he was on probation in Indiana and a requirement of his probation is that he’s to have no contact with her.
Trout advised that when she arrived at her residence, she began looking for signs that the ex had been inside the home, and she discovered that her First Mid Illinois Bank & Trust debit card was missing from her bedside table. She stated she had not locked the residence before she left it, and she stated the ex would have known where her debit card was kept. She said she had immediately canceled the debit card and asked the bank to determine whether the ex had used the card. She was advised by the bank that a $200 withdrawal had been made using the card on that date…and she hadn’t been the one to make the withdrawal.
Trout signed a probable cause complaint; info will be forthcoming about charges.
Springerton residence burglarized badly
In a desk report on that same day, William Kurt Pierce, 47, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, reported a theft from an abandoned residence located on the 100 block of Carter Avenue in Springerton. Pierce advised that he’d moved to the residence a couple of months ago and persons unknown have broken into the trailer and garage on three occasions. He advised the dining room furniture, table, chairs and china hutch were missing from the trailer, and that Kenwood speakers, impact air tools, several angle grinders and miscellaneous Craftsman and Snap-On tools were missing from the garage. He estimated the value of the furniture at $5,000 and the tools, $3,000.
Pierce provided photos of locks which had been cut off from the hasps.
Items missing/stolen from residence mid-move
The sheriff’s department dealt with an incident in Enfield Friday, Dec. 14, when at 10:47, two residents, Matthew R. Curtis and Holly J. Miller, advised that they were in the process of moving from the location on the 100 block of North Fir Street. Curtis said that the two were there on the 12th in the evening hours and returned Friday to discover several items missing and stolen. Some of the items that were stolen were located inside the residence, and some outside.
Rather peculiar theft in city
Then in the city of Carmi, Joyce Bridgeman, 72, of the 700 block of North Second Street, reported Monday, Dec. 17, that someone broke into her storage building and stole some old doors, old lumber and two boxes of dishes sometime in the last few days.