Thousands in stolen property found including items that belonged to road department

By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

A 27-year-old Marion man was arrested at 3:35 p.m. Sunday after a search by sheriff’s deputies and Marion police in the 100 block of E. Forest St. yielded thousands of dollars worth of stolen property from at least two recent thefts in Marion and Marion County.

A search warrant for the residence of Cyle L. Wilson was connected to a theft earlier in the week. Wilson was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property. Police believed he was involved because a vehicle he owned was in the area at when the theft occurred, police chief Clinton Jeffrey said.

“We just did possession of stolen property because that was what we had at the time, and then connected all the dots to them as the ones who stole — that was a separate case,” he said. “It’s really confusing and the paperwork is just as confusing.”

Janette M. Davis, 71, Marion, reported that at least 19 items were stolen between 12:01 a.m. Aug. 19 and 9 a.m. Saturday in the 400 block of S. 3rd St.

Stolen property included $1,300 worth of wire, air conditioning and heating supplies worth $1,000, an antique cash register worth $1,200, 12 electric motors worth $2,500 total, an arc welder worth $500, and several other items worth a combined $1,360.

Some of those items were recovered during the search, Jeffrey said.

Also found at the residence was property belonging to the county’s road and bridge department that had been stolen.

The road and bridge department is working with law enforcement to determine what items have been found, county engineer Brice Goebel said.

It was possible the property was stolen for drug money but there was no definite reason for the thefts, Jeffrey said.

“That’s always plausible,” he said. “They didn’t directly say that.”

Marijuana and methamphetamine also were found during the search at Wilson’s residence.

Jeffrey doesn’t believe the drugs were being sold since there weren’t proper quantities or paraphernalia to indicate drug dealing.

Wilson was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage to property, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as the initial suspicion of stolen property.

The case remains open and additional suspects are being sought.