Theft ring solved [Athens Daily Review, Texas]

Aug. 30--ATHENS -- Area law officers worked together to solve a multi-county string of thefts, resulting in the arrest of a 29-year-old man.

Richard Blake Duncan was held in the Henderson County Jail Thursday, with bond set at $25,000 on a charge of theft ($25,000 to $100,000), a first degree felony.

Henderson County Sheriff's Officer reports said Sheriff Ray Nutt received information on August 18 from Brownsboro Chief of Police Thomas Robertson concerning stolen property on County Road 3518,

HCSO investigators followed the leads to two locations on CR 3518, where a large amount of stolen property was recovered. Reports said the property was associated with several burglaries in Henderson, Anderson, Cherokee and Van Zandt Counties as well as cases being investigated by the Athens Police Department.

HCSO reports said the stolen items included multiple 3 and 4 wheel ATV's, numerous gas and electric hand tools, a tractor, a fuel tank on a trailer and other valuables. The estimated value of the stolen property was about $100,000.

On August 19 Precinct 6 Justice of the Peace Milton Adams issued a warrant for Duncan's arrest. A multiple agency search ended Wednesday when HCSO Major Botie Hillhouse, Capt. Kay Langford and Lt. Bryan Tower located Duncan in the Dallas area. The suspect was arrested in Mesquite and arraigned at MPD headquarters. He was then returned to Henderson County.

After Duncan was taken to the Henderson County Jail, local authorities learned that he also had outstanding warrants originating from the Athens Police Department and a bond forfeiture warrant resulting from a Gregg County theft arrest.

HCSO Investigators Nick Webb and Michael Shelly assisted in the case along with Athens Police Department Detective Sergeant Don Yarbrough, Texas Department of Public Safety Investigator Richard Fulton, Anderson County Sheriff's Office Captain Jay Russell and ACSO Investigator Ryan Tolliver.

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