PREBLE COUNTY — Preble County Sheriff’s deputies recently arrested three adults for their involvement in multiple thefts which occurred in Monroe and Harrison Townships between Dec. 8 and Dec. 21, according to Sheriff Mike Simpson.
Simpson reported, on Dec. 18 at approximately 6:35 a.m., a deputy located a truck parked in the 400 block of Swisher Mill Road. The vehicle was occupied by a female. At this point, the truck had not been reported stolen nor could the deputy locate the owner. The vehicle was towed by the deputy. Later in the day, the owner confirmed he in fact had two vehicles taken from his property in the 9000 block of Pence Shewman Road.
Also, on Dec. 18, the second vehicle stolen from the same person was stopped in West Manchester, according to Simpson. The driver of the vehicle, Christopher Lawson, was arrested for receiving stolen property. Lawson was also found to be in possession of a small amount of suspected methamphetamine.
“On Dec. 20, the Pence Shewman Road victim notified the Sheriff’s Office he had been contacted by his bank and found that someone had stolen a check from his residence and later cashed it,” Simpson said in a press release. “Several additional items were found to have been taken from the victim’s residence as well. Through additional investigation, deputies were able to identify two additional suspects in this case.”
On Dec. 21, deputies took a report of an additional stolen vehicle from a residence in the 11000 block of Rockridge Road. “Suspects had removed a pick-up truck sometime overnight,” Simpson reported. “In the afternoon of Dec. 21, the stolen truck was recovered at the Motel 6 in Englewood.”
Deputies responded to the Englewood location and arrested two females, according to Simpson.
“In the end, three adults were linked to the thefts at both locations and housed in the Preble County Jail,” he added.
The suspects included:
•Christopher C. Lawson, 28, of West Manchester. He is charged with two counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony and criminal trespass, a fourth-degree misdemeanor.
•Dawn Renea Loper, 43, of West Manchester. She is charged with breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony and receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony; criminal trespass, a fourth-degree misdemeanor and two counts of theft, both fifth-degree felonies.
•Michele L. Jones, 44, of Camden. She is charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; breaking & entering, a fifth-degree felony; criminal trespass, a fourth-degree misdemeanor and petty theft, a first-degree misdemeanor.
All suspects were formally charged in Eaton Municipal Court. Lawson and Loper have posted a $285 cash bond and have been released. Jones remained incarcerated in the Preble County Jail at press time.
The drug located in this case will be submitted to the BCI Lab in London for analysis, Simpson said.
Additional charges on Lawson are expected.
