From Staff Reports
The Athens Review
ATHENS —
A citizen’s tip helped the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office identify two suspects following a theft of copper wire from an abandoned Cherokee Shores residence.
Kimberlie Kay Jones, 49, of Payne Springs was arrested and charged with theft of copper, a state jail felony. She was released Aug. 28 after posting $5,000 bond.
Theft of copper is a state jail felony and carries a punishment of 180 days to two years in jail, and a possible fine of up to $10,000.
The HCSO obtained an arrest warrant on Michael Lynn Pettus Jr. 40, of Dallas, who remained at large Tuesday.
HCSO reports said Deputies Roger Cullum and David Robertson responded to a call of a burglary in progress at the intersection of Forgotten Lane and Cheyenne Trail in Payne Springs.
Cullum spoke with the complainant who reported seeing a man removing what appeared to be some type of electrical wiring from an abandoned residence.
The caller was able to give a description of the vehicle into which the subject was loading the wiring, and the direction he traveled when leaving the scene.
Minutes later, Robertson located a vehicle matching the description a few miles from the residence where the theft took place.
Deputies identified Jones as the driver of the vehicle and Pettus as the other occupant. The law officers also located large pieces of copper wiring inside the vehicle, reports said.
The case was assigned to Investigator Kaylon Rollins, who obtained arrest warrants on Pettus and Jones from Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Harold Ashford. The HCSO arrested Jones Thursday and booked her into the Henderson County Jail.
The arrest warrant on Pettus is still active, and anyone with information concerning his whereabouts is urged to contact the HCSO at 903-675-5128, or call Henderson County Crimestoppers at 1-800-545-TIPS.
