Monday, April 11, 2011
Third Theft At Same Address Lands Man In Jail
A St. Joseph man was arrested Sunday evening when he was allegedly caught in the act of stealing items from a Leoma address, burglarized for the third time during the weekend.
Owner Bobby Gene Wade, Sr., first summoned Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputies to his 86 Glendale Road property around 4:30 Saturday afternoon to report numerous items missing from an outbuilding.
Missing items included an exercise bike, grill, buckets of miscellaneous parts, a swing canopy, air tank, auto ramps, two battery charges and a mechanics seat. He estimated his loss to be around $700.
Deputies were called to the property once again shortly before 8:00 p.m. Sunday. Wade reported he had discovered more items had been stolen from his property, including numerous tools and a lawn mower trailer. These items were valued at $550.
Deputies report that the trailer was soon located on a field road adjacent to the shed. They opted to set up surveillance on the property and a deputy remained at the scene.
It was at 1:05 a.m., deputies report, that a suspicious truck began slowly passing the property and turning around in neighboring driveways to return. The driver reportedly pulled down the field road, exited and shut the door.
The deputy at the scene reports the man had started dragging the trailer toward his truck when he engaged his spot light. He said the man dropped the trailer, jumped back into his truck, then fled down the field road and across the field.
The deputy called for assistance and attempted to pursue the truck across the rough terrain, however he was unable to keep up. Responding backup units were able to find the truck parked at the edge of a wooded area. They report that the driver had fled on foot.
The suspect, identified as Mark William Luce, 30, of 272 North Mahr Street, St. Joseph, was found shortly afterwards walking along a highway and was taken into custody.
Reports show that Luce was arrested on charges of burglary, theft of property, evading arrest, failure to yield to blue lights and sirens, violation of the financial responsibility law, violation of the registration law, and driving on a suspended license.
During a pat down subsequent to arrest, deputies report Luce was found to be concealing approximately one gram of marijuana in his right front pocket. As a result a charge of simple possession of marijuana was added.
Luce was booked through the Lawrence County Detention Center. He is scheduled for an initial appearance in Lawrence County General Sessions Court on May 9, 2011.
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