Metal Theives Apprehended in Devers

LIBERTY, March 1, 2012 - On Monday, February 27, 2012, at approximately 4:15PM hours, a Devers ISD bus stopped and advised Constable Hulsey someone was cutting metal, with a torch, from the rice dryers on North Gates at the railroad tracks.

Hulsey contacted Deputy Marcolesco and told him to be in route to the location. Hulsey arrived and found two black males with a truck and trailer on the north side of the rice dryers with a cutting torch, cutting metal and electrical wire and conduit from the dryers and loading it on a trailer that was attached to a pickup truck. It was found that the suspect using the torch was Jimmy Doucet, who was assisted by Percy Simmons in the operation. Simmons stated he had permission to take metal from the site, but could not come up with the name of the person that gave him permission.

There are "No Trespassing" signs along the perimeter of the property and also a "For Sale" sign posted along North Gates street, in plain sight. Marcolesco interviewed the two males, and after talking with both suspects, they admitted this was their first time at the dryer removing metal, and also stated no one had given them permission to take anything from the site.

Deputy Marcolesco then arrested both suspects and transported them to the Liberty County jail, for Theft of Material, Copper/Alum/Brnz, <$20K, a State Jail Felony.

Constable Hulsey stated there has been an increase in metal thefts in the area and asks for area residents to continue reporting suspicious vehicles and persons at locations where citizens think these people should not be.