By James B. Bartle
In a story reported first at mysullivannews.com, Sullivan police interrupted a burglary in progress at ChaseCo, 3135 North Service Rd. West, early Wednesday morning at 12:09 a.m.
According to Sullivan police chief, George R. Counts, officers were on routine patrol on Winsel Creek Parkway when an officer observed a U-Haul truck parked across the east side of the roadway with the rear of the vehicle facing the east part of the grass. The officer approached the U-Haul and then observed a silver Chevrolet Cavalier accelerate past his vehicle at a high rate of speed.
The officer turned his patrol car around and was unable to locate the Cavalier in the area.
The officer returned to the U-Haul and observed two Hustler brand “zero turn” mowers in the cargo area of the truck and one mower in the weeds next to the truck. It was determined, at that point, that the mowers were stolen from ChaseCo.
Officers from Sullivan and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department were called in to assist in the search for the suspects; at which point, the abandoned Chevrolet Cavalier was located behind the Sullivan 6 Cinema, 3001 North Service Rd. West.
Authorities were unable to located the suspects and continue their investigation into the case.
Two suspects were identified in the case from the Collinsville, IL area. Authorities interviewed and arrested the suspects; however, their names are being withheld pending the issuance of warrants. The suspects are expected to be formally charged in Crawford County Court.
Authorities are investigating the possibility that these suspects may have been part of a previous burglary this spring at ChaseCo, in which several mowers were appropriated.
Crawford County authorities are also determining if this theft is connected with the theft of ATVs from Unique Powersports, Sullivan, late last week.
Further information in the case is expected this week.