Burglary suspect allegedly got stuck on property

Published 3:00 am Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Authorities say a local man broke into a barn on Feb. 14 but got stuck on the property when his truck bogged down in a muddy patch.

Deputies arrested Stephen Phelps, 34, Monday and charged him with third-degree burglary and first-degree theft of property in connection with the incident.

Investigator Troy Johnson said Phelps allegedly tried to hotwire a tractor when his truck wouldn’t budge and then drove one of the resident’s ATVs and collected miscellaneous items from the property to “weigh down the truck” so he could drive it out.

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“He then got someone to pull the truck out and he left the property on the four-wheeler and took it to another location,” Johnson said.

In all, the value of the property exceeded $2,500 and so Phelps was charged with first-degree theft of property, a Class B Felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Third-degree burglary is a Class C Felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Phelps was booked into the Pike County Jail Monday and released on bond.