Sheriff’s Office apprehends burglary ring
Published 10:08 am Thursday, October 23, 2014
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has put an end to a series of burglaries that have be going on in small businesses across Lincoln County over the past year. Five young adults have been taken into custody.
Nathaniel Q. Griffin, 21, Adam C. Porter, 23, Bobby Pittman, 20, Kenneth C. Smith, 22, and Savannah J. King, 18, were arrested for multiple counts burglary.
Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing said his office received a call Oct. 11 reporting a burglary in progress at Allen’s Corner Grocery on Highway 583. Rushing said officers were close enough to apprehend the burglars. Officers arrested Smith and King
Rushing said based on information received after the suspects had been apprehended, they were able to tie the young adults to previous crimes. Rushing said they found members of the group were responsible for previously burglaries Allen’s Corner Grocery, breaking into Tweets Snow Cones twice, stealing equipment from the Enterprise Attendance Center locker room and breaking into Enterprise Drive-In.
Rushing said all five of the suspects were not present at each burglary, but they are all connected.
The incidents began last July when the group broke a window in Allen’s Corner Grocery but did not enter the premises. In August the group broke into Tweets Snow Cone and stole about $100, returned to Allen’s stealing about $100 and cigarettes, and took the tip jar at Enterprise Drive-In, which was around $100. The group stole Tweets again in July taking approximately $200.
Rushing said the group broke into Enterprise locker room and stole equipment Oct. 10, which has since been returned by the Sheriff’s Office. The following evening, Oct. 11 is when the group was caught in the act of stealing from Allen’s Grocery.
Griffin, Porter, Kenneth and King were arrested Oct. 11, and Pittman was arrested Oct. 16.
Rushing said all the incidents occurred late at night while the businesses where closed. No weapons were used, and no one was injured. Approximately $1000 of property was stolen.