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Suspects in copper thefts arrested

February 19, 2007|BRENDA S. EDWARDS

LIBERTY - Three people from Russell Springs have been charged with a grocery store burglary and two copper thefts in Casey County, police said.

Billy Shearer, 26, was charged Sunday with third-degree burglary and criminal mischief in connection with the burglary Jan. 21 at Shannon's Grocery at the junction of Ky. 910 and Ky. 501, said Sheriff Jerry Coffman. Greg Thomas, 26, was arrested earlier on the same charges for the grocery burglary.

John Derring, 33, was charged with theft by unlawful taking over $300 in connection with the theft of copper June 9 at a Taylor County RECC substation.

Derring, Thomas and Shearer also were charged with three counts each of third-degree burglary and theft by unlawful taking over $300 for copper thefts Jan. 22 at Walnut Hill School off U.S. 127 South. They are accused of taking tools from D.W. Wilburn Construction Co. of Lexington and copper from Peters Pipe and Boiler of Eubank and FREI Plumbing Inc. of Somerset.

Shearer and Thomas also were charged with three counts of third-degree burglary and theft by unlawful taking under $300 Jan. 11 at Walnut Hill School.

Coffman said Shearer and Derringer were arrested Sunday when they came through a traffic stop on Ky. 910 and Ky. 80.

The three suspects are accused of taking several thousand dollars worth of copper, tools and items in the three burglaries and causing more than $1,000 in vandalism at the school. Copper pipes were ripped from the walls, and paint splashed on the walls and floor.

Vandalism also was reported at the grocery, but nothing was taken.

Thomas allegedly was trying to take cigarettes from the store when Deputy Sheriff Bob Weddle arrived at the scene. Thomas dropped the cigarettes and fled.

However, the suspect was caught on the store's surveillance camera.

The sheriff's department also confiscated two pickup trucks that contained copper that was suspected to have been stolen.

All three suspects are in the Casey County Detention Center, and each is under a $10,000 bond.

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