Milford man held after theft from gas station
May 24, 2018 at 4:49 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Earl Hillis Smith Jr., 63, of 304 N. James St., #11, Milford, was arrested and booked into the Kosciusko County Jail May 15 for theft, a Class A misdemeanor, with a sentence enhancement making it a level 6 felony; burglary, a level 5 felony; and resisting law enforcement by fleeing, a Class A misdemeanor. His preliminary bond was set at $10,250.
Smith’s initial hearing is set for 8:15 a.m. June 14 in Kosciusko County Circuit Court, according to court documents.
On May 15, Milford Police Department officer Brandon Shipp responded to a report of a burglary at Friendly Express Mart gas station in Milford, and saw the front door had been damaged by bricks Smith reportedly used to break in. Shipp then saw Smith behind the counter inside the store. Smith ran out the store’s front door.
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Shipp ordered Smith to stop but Smith continued running. Shipp was able to catch Smith and arrested him.
Upon searching Smith, Shipp found $174 in cash, which matched the amount of money reported taken from the store’s cash register.
Shipp spoke with a man who contacted police. He said he saw a man beating on the front door.
Friendly Express Mart employees provided surveillance video of the inside and outside of the gas station.
Smith was convicted of conversion in Kosciusko County in 2017 and a theft conviction in 2008 in Hamilton County
Earl Hillis Smith Jr., 63, of 304 N. James St., #11, Milford, was arrested and booked into the Kosciusko County Jail May 15 for theft, a Class A misdemeanor, with a sentence enhancement making it a level 6 felony; burglary, a level 5 felony; and resisting law enforcement by fleeing, a Class A misdemeanor. His preliminary bond was set at $10,250.
Smith’s initial hearing is set for 8:15 a.m. June 14 in Kosciusko County Circuit Court, according to court documents.
On May 15, Milford Police Department officer Brandon Shipp responded to a report of a burglary at Friendly Express Mart gas station in Milford, and saw the front door had been damaged by bricks Smith reportedly used to break in. Shipp then saw Smith behind the counter inside the store. Smith ran out the store’s front door.
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Shipp ordered Smith to stop but Smith continued running. Shipp was able to catch Smith and arrested him.
Upon searching Smith, Shipp found $174 in cash, which matched the amount of money reported taken from the store’s cash register.
Shipp spoke with a man who contacted police. He said he saw a man beating on the front door.
Friendly Express Mart employees provided surveillance video of the inside and outside of the gas station.
Smith was convicted of conversion in Kosciusko County in 2017 and a theft conviction in 2008 in Hamilton County
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