The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department has reported an increase in burglaries in the past few months.
As a result a new initiative has been started by Sheriff Rick Lisenbe concentrating on the arrest of burglars and the recovery of the victim’s property.
The bulk of the property that is being targeted is electronics (Televisions, video players and games, DVDs and computers), jewelry, and cash.
These items are the easiest to be traded, pawned or directly spent.
In the past two months this initiative has resulted in the identification of 10 suspects, the identification of eight suspected burglars (two of which were juvenile) where they have been arrested or arrest warrants have been requested. Additionally, thousands of dollars in stolen property has been recovered.
Of the adults that have been arrested, two have been previously identified in other releases Francois Christian Orloff is presently incarcerated in the Phelps County jail for two separate burglaries on a $60,000 bond and Bryan Anthony Riden is also incarcerated with a $25,000 bond. These two suspects were previously named “The Hansel and Gretel Burglars” by the Rolla Daily News.
On June 24 another arrest was made. David Cole Nash, a 24-year-old resident of St. James, was arrested on a series of warrants in addition to the Burglary charge.
On May 26, 2010 Nash allegedly entered a residence located in the 12000 block of Cardinal Point in rural Rolla. While there he took numerous items of property including jewelry, a lap top computer, and clothing. Also taken was the victim’s vehicle.
Nash was incarcerated with a $100,000 bond. The remaining arrest warrants on Nash resulted for unrelated investigations of Domestic Assault, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Stealing, Property Damage and a Parole Violation.
In Nash’s case, the vehicle taken was recovered on June 19, 2010 after being involved in a pursuit. The driver crashed the vehicle in a pond on County Road 6130 and fled on foot. He was later identified and arrest warrants have been applied for.
The remaining two identified burglars have had warrant requests submitted and a release will be made upon their arrest.
The charges for which the individuals noted in this release were arrested for are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty is to determine their guilt or innocence.
