On Saturday, January 16, Deputy Robert Grier and Sergeant Brad Cox of the Miller County Sheriff’s Department responded to a burglary that had already been committed at McLendon’s Meat Company located on Hwy. 91 South in Miller County.

When the deputies arrived, they saw that there were four radiators stolen off the cooling units. The deputies noticed that there were still four units left that had been cut and prepped to be taken next. The deputies placed surveillance cameras out around the building.

The next morning Chief Investigator Ben Nix received a call from the owner of the business that the suspects had returned and had taken the other four radiators.

Investigator Nix and Chief Deputy Shane Rathel pulled the cameras and viewed the pictures. The suspects or the vehicles on the surveillance cameras were not from the Miller County area and were unknown to law enforcement in the area.

On Friday, January 22, Officer Rathel received a call that the business had been hit again and there was a large quantity of cooper stolen.

Officer Rathel saw that there was wire that had been left behind that was once again prepped to be taken.

Sheriff H.E. Glass advised he wanted surveillance cameras put out and a deputy doing surveillance on the building until the suspects came back.

On the Tuesday, January 26, Investigator Nix made contact with Deputy B.J. Josey and advised him of the burglaries that had occurred and advised him of the surveillance system that was in place. At 3:20 a.m. Deputy Josey heard a noise coming from the building. Deputy Josey used a thermal imaging device the department had received through a grant Sheriff Glass and Investigator Nix had applied for to spot the suspects coming out in the front of the building.

Deputy Josey contacted Sergeant Cox and advised him that the building was being burglarized again.

Deputy Josey and Sergeant Cox merged in at the location and took four suspects into custody. The truck the suspects were driving was loaded with copper wire that had been stolen. The suspects had flash lights and were wearing gloves. They were also carrying cell phones and had a bag of burglary tools. Chief Investigator Ben Nix and Chief Deputy Rathel were called when they interviewed the four suspects. It was found that they were riding around in several counties in the area looking for places to steal copper. There were locations pointed out to Sheriff Glass and Investigator Nix where items were stolen from Baker County and also other buildings and homes that were going to be targeted in Miller County and other surrounding counties.

When the four suspects had been interviewed, it was found that there were also four other suspects who were involved in the thefts.

Investigator Nix and Deputy Rathel located the other suspects in Albany and placed them into custody. The other suspects were interviewed, and they confessed to the crimes. Investigator Nix took warrants as follows:
David James Nix of Albany
Burglary 4 counts
Theft by taking 4 counts
Criminal damage to property 4 counts
Whitney Rector of Albany
Burglary 4 counts
Theft by taking 4 counts
Anna Casper of Albany
Burglary 3 counts
Theft by taking 3 counts
Preston Lee Posey of Albany
Burglary 2 counts
Theft by taking 2 counts
Criminal damage to property 2 counts
Steven Taylor Cox of Albany
Burglary 3 counts
Theft by taking 3 counts
Criminal damage to property 3 counts
Joseph L. Posey of Albany
Burglary 3 counts
Theft by taking 3 counts
Criminal damage to property 3 counts
Jennifer Wininger of Albany
Burglary 1 count
Theft by taking 1 count

The eighth person involved in these thefts is a juvenile from Albany.

Other charges are pending in other counties on the eight suspects, and investigations continues.

The Miller County Sheriff and his deputies would like to thank Schnitzer Southeast of Albany and Southeastern Aluminum for all their help during this investigation. It was a pleasure working with both companies.

A bond hearing was held January 29, of which no bond was given to David Nix or Joseph Posey. A bond of $50,000 was given to Whitney Rector; $49,500 bond given to Steven Cox; $37,500 bond given to Anna Casper; $33,000 bond given Preston Posey and $12,500 given to Jennifer Wininger.