Three Face Charges After Theft From Tractor Supply Company

July 2, 2018 at 5:54 p.m.
Three Face Charges After Theft From Tractor Supply Company
Three Face Charges After Theft From Tractor Supply Company


Three people are facing theft-related charges after allegedly stealing supplies from a tractor supply company by cutting through a fence.

Charges against Lesley Tranae Crawford, 47, of 227 E. Burkhart Drive, Warsaw, include aiding, inducing or causing a burglary, a level 5 felony; and aiding, inducing or causing theft, a Class A misdemeanor with a sentence enhancement to make it a level 6 felony.

Anthony Brent Williams, 53, Mishawaka, faces charges of burglary, a level 5 felony; and theft, a Class A misdemeanor, with a sentence enhancement to make it a level 6 felony.

Jeffery Allen Hutcherson, 58, of 227 E. Burkhart Drive, Warsaw, is facing charges of burglary, a level 5 felony; and theft, a Class A misdemeanor with a sentence enhancement to make it a level 6 felony.

On June 19, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputy Joel Popenfoose responded to a burglary and theft at a Warsaw tractor supply company. Upon arrival, he spoke with an employee who said she noticed someone had cut a hole in the chain link fence surrounding the business. She said there was surveillance video facing the area where the fence was cut and would provide that to KCSD.

On June 22, KCSD deputy Kevin Gelbaugh and deputy Shane Bucher spoke with the store manager who said he viewed the June 19 video, which showed two men and a woman cutting the fence and stealing items from the business. He said he was in the back of the store helping a customer, later identified as Hutcherson, who was keeping him occupied.

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While Hutcherson kept the manager’s attention, Williams removed a transfer pump, guerrilla tailgate lift and bolt cutters, a value of $679.98, from the store and walked them out into the fenced-in area and placed them by the service gate. The manager said he believed they stole other items from the store as well.

The manager said a black Jeep SUV, driven by Crawford, backed into a plow as it pulled up to the fence and Williams cut the fence. A gas company employee came into the area and the three suspects left the parking lot in the vehicle. He said a witness told him they saw the man and woman and knew the subjects involved in the theft to be Hutcherson and Crawford.

Bucher went to Hutcherson’s residence and saw a black Jeep SUV with damage to the passenger-side bumper and tailgate, which appeared to be the result of backing into the plow.

Bucher spoke with Crawford who admitted she drove Hutcherson and Williams to the business.

She said they did not pay for anything and she pulled the black Jeep over to the fence at the back of the building to pick up material and that Williams cut the fence. While Williams was cutting the fence, a man from the gas company was walking up to them and she alerted Williams.

She said they then left the business and went back to her residence.

Crawford said Bucher, Williams and Hutcherson then returned to the business and brought the stolen items that were stored next to the fence back to her residence. Williams took the stolen items to South Bend.

Bucher spoke with Hutcherson who admitted he drove Williams to the business. He said Williams entered inside the fence area and handed the stolen items to him, and then he loaded them into the Jeep.

Williams was previously convicted of theft 12 times in Indiana, according to court documents. Crawford was convicted of theft on June 9, 2016, and Hutcherson was convicted of theft on May 11, 2016.

Three people are facing theft-related charges after allegedly stealing supplies from a tractor supply company by cutting through a fence.

Charges against Lesley Tranae Crawford, 47, of 227 E. Burkhart Drive, Warsaw, include aiding, inducing or causing a burglary, a level 5 felony; and aiding, inducing or causing theft, a Class A misdemeanor with a sentence enhancement to make it a level 6 felony.

Anthony Brent Williams, 53, Mishawaka, faces charges of burglary, a level 5 felony; and theft, a Class A misdemeanor, with a sentence enhancement to make it a level 6 felony.

Jeffery Allen Hutcherson, 58, of 227 E. Burkhart Drive, Warsaw, is facing charges of burglary, a level 5 felony; and theft, a Class A misdemeanor with a sentence enhancement to make it a level 6 felony.

On June 19, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputy Joel Popenfoose responded to a burglary and theft at a Warsaw tractor supply company. Upon arrival, he spoke with an employee who said she noticed someone had cut a hole in the chain link fence surrounding the business. She said there was surveillance video facing the area where the fence was cut and would provide that to KCSD.

On June 22, KCSD deputy Kevin Gelbaugh and deputy Shane Bucher spoke with the store manager who said he viewed the June 19 video, which showed two men and a woman cutting the fence and stealing items from the business. He said he was in the back of the store helping a customer, later identified as Hutcherson, who was keeping him occupied.

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While Hutcherson kept the manager’s attention, Williams removed a transfer pump, guerrilla tailgate lift and bolt cutters, a value of $679.98, from the store and walked them out into the fenced-in area and placed them by the service gate. The manager said he believed they stole other items from the store as well.

The manager said a black Jeep SUV, driven by Crawford, backed into a plow as it pulled up to the fence and Williams cut the fence. A gas company employee came into the area and the three suspects left the parking lot in the vehicle. He said a witness told him they saw the man and woman and knew the subjects involved in the theft to be Hutcherson and Crawford.

Bucher went to Hutcherson’s residence and saw a black Jeep SUV with damage to the passenger-side bumper and tailgate, which appeared to be the result of backing into the plow.

Bucher spoke with Crawford who admitted she drove Hutcherson and Williams to the business.

She said they did not pay for anything and she pulled the black Jeep over to the fence at the back of the building to pick up material and that Williams cut the fence. While Williams was cutting the fence, a man from the gas company was walking up to them and she alerted Williams.

She said they then left the business and went back to her residence.

Crawford said Bucher, Williams and Hutcherson then returned to the business and brought the stolen items that were stored next to the fence back to her residence. Williams took the stolen items to South Bend.

Bucher spoke with Hutcherson who admitted he drove Williams to the business. He said Williams entered inside the fence area and handed the stolen items to him, and then he loaded them into the Jeep.

Williams was previously convicted of theft 12 times in Indiana, according to court documents. Crawford was convicted of theft on June 9, 2016, and Hutcherson was convicted of theft on May 11, 2016.

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