Arrest Made In Fire Department Theft

Arrest Made In Fire Department Theft

By David Howell

Editor

CLEAR SPRINGS – A surveillance camera, tattoos and Facebook helped authorities link a Water Valley man to a burglary at Clear Springs Fire Department in southeastern Yalobusha County last week.

Sheriff Lance Humphreys reported Darrel Kyle Dean, 34, was charged with burglary of a commercial building, grand larceny and possession of a controlled substance after he allegedly entered the fire station and stole turnout gear, flashlights and other items. 

Ironically, the fire station was targeted twice in one week and Humphreys said his department is still working on the first burglary reported on Nov. 9 when valuable tools including a chain saw and metal cut-off saw were reported missing. The sheriff said Dean provided information about his involvement in the second burglary, reported, Nov. 12, but denied involvement in the first burglary.

“We have video of both nights and it was a different person,” Humphreys told the Herald.  “But we certainly have not ruled out a possible link in these cases, our investigators are working all angles.”

Humphreys praised the Clear Springs Fire Chief Randy Coleman having the surveillance cameras installed in the department.

“We were able to connect Dean with the crime after comparing tattoos visible in the video footage to pictures of him on Facebook,” Humphreys said. Dean was already on probation and had notified the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) that he was living with a family member in Water Valley, according to the sheriff.

“We discovered he wasn’t living at that residence and it took several days to track him down,” Humphreys said, adding that Chief Deputy Jerry Ferguson nabbed Dean after recognizing his vehicle parked at Gum’s Crossing Boat Landing. Ferguson also discovered alleged methamphetamine on Dean when he made the arrest, which added the drug charge to the other charges.

Dean is currently out of jail after he was released on a $10,000 bond set in justice court. 

“Stealing from a volunteer fire department is a despicable crime, our fire fighters across the county are dedicated volunteers and often have fundraisers to help raise money to purchase the equipment they need,” Humphreys said about the incident. He also said the missing tools and equipment could have jeopardized a life if the fire fighters had responded to an emergency and did not have the proper equipment.

Humphreys urged anyone with information about the first burglary that remains under investigation to contact his department at 473-2722. Crimestoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction for a crime committed in the county.