Stakeout at local business leads to two arrests for theft and trespassing

Hubert Pitts’ Salvage Yard on Merritt Trail was minus some property Monday so Pitts’ son-in-law, Joe Keathley, decided to stake it out the following day to see if the culprits returned. He sat back and watched as a young male and female pulled up in an SUV and began throwing various auto parts into the vehicle. When confronted by Keathley, the pair fled, but were quickly found by Pitts and Keathley at a nearby address.

Dep. Walker of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and found John Carroll, 21, sweating profusely and extremely nervous. Carroll confessed to the thefts and implicated a 16-year-old juvenile who was with him at the time.

During recorded statements, the pair admitted to entering the same property two weeks prior and stealing tires and rims valued at $150. The day before being caught, the two said they stole more tires and rims, along with a transmission and a motor with a large amount of copper. The haul was valued at $600. The day they were apprehended, the couple said they took tires, rims and a transmission, estimated at $400.

Both Carroll and the juvenile, not named due to her age, are being charged with grand theft and petit theft, as well as trespassing. Carroll and the teen were both on probation for prior offenses at the time of their arrests.