Published: July 10, 2008 10:15 am      

Stolen vehicle recovered near Athens

Sheriff’s investigators still searching for thief who took vehicle from Eustace residence

The Henderson County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the theft of a pick-up found stashed in Athens Tuesday morning.

Athens Police Department reports state a 2007 Dodge four-wheel drive was seen backed into the bushes in a remote area on Broadmore Street. Around 9:45 a.m., Sgt. Brett Morman and Cpl. Jason Bosher were dispatched to the site. A run of the vehicle information revealed the pick-up belongs to a resident on Farm-to-Market Road 316 just outside Eustace city limits.

“APD just kind of stumbled up on it,” Henderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Brian Miers said. “They found it prior to it even being reported stolen.”

When police determined the theft had occurred in an unincorporated area, the case was turned over to HCSD. Miers came to Athens to process the scene and take an offense report for theft of a motor vehicle.

Miers said the Dodge was probably taken sometime during the night on Sunday. The truck was in good condition when it was discovered.

“It didn’t look like it had a scratch on it,” Miers said.

The owner, Eugene Oates, came to the scene and drove the vehicle home.

Miers said the sheriff’s department does not have a suspect at this time.

“We did find some possible latent prints on the vehicle, but those prints have not been processed at this time,” Miers said.