Williamsburg police catch storage building thieves ‘red-handed’

Williamsburg police captured a pair of would-be burglars red handed as they were taking things from a Williamsburg storage building facility early Wednesday morning.

In addition, police have also charged the uncle and nephew in connection with a separate burglary less than two days earlier at the same storage facility.

Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird said that the first burglary happened during the daytime Monday at a local storage building rental facility, which is located off Bear Cat Drive behind KFC.

According to arrest citations, the name of the facility is Debbie’s Hair Care and Storage.

During that break-in, thieves stole a brand new stainless steel stove, which was still wrapped in plastic and valued at $1,800, in addition to a large number of tools and other items.

Because of that burglary and some that had occurred elsewhere in the county at other storage building sites, Bird ordered extra patrols in the area.

About 1:06 a.m. Wednesday, Williamsburg Police Sgt. Mike Taylor spotted two men removing items from unit three of the storage facility and stopped to investigate.

Taylor approached the duo and started questioning the two men, who give him false names.

At first the two men tried telling Taylor that they were moving, which Taylor questioned due to the time of day.

Then Taylor spotted bolt cutters in their vehicle and arrested the suspects. They admitted to the Wednesday morning break-in, Bird said.

Bird noted that having bolt cutters in your vehicle isn’t a crime as such, but it is a crime when you have them in your vehicle and are committing a burglary.

Taylor charged Billy Eugene Ramey, 43, of Corbin, and his nephew, Jordan Lee Ramey, 19, of Morehead, with third-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools.

Taylor also soon learned that Billy Ramey was wanted on an outstanding fugitive warrant from Lee County, Virginia, in connection with a Wal-Mart theft ring, Bird noted.

Williamsburg police went to the Whitley County Detention Center later that day to question the duo about the Monday break-in at the storage facility and they initially denied involvement.

After posting a story about the arrests on Facebook, Bird said his department received a call Wednesday evening from an individual, who told them that Billy Ramey had brought him a stainless steel stove and asked that he store it for him.

Police recovered the stove Wednesday evening, and confronted Billy Ramey Thursday morning about the theft.

Bird said that Billy Ramey confessed to the Monday burglary and told police where to find the remainder of the stolen items, including tools and a pressure washer, which were recovered on Kentucky Street in Jellico Thursday morning.

Williamsburg Police Capt. Eddie Cain charged Billy and Jordan Ramey with receiving stolen property in connection with Monday’s break-in.

Williamsburg police say they have recovered all of the items that they know were taken during the break-ins.

Billy Ramey and Jordan Ramey both pled not guilty during their arraignments Thursday afternoon before District Court Judge Fred White.

White set $10,000 cash bonds for the duo on the burglary charges and $15,000 cash bonds on the receiving stolen property charges.

White scheduled April 7 preliminary hearings for the two men and appointed the public advocate’s office to represent each defendant.

White also scheduled an identity hearing on April 7 for Billy Ramer on the fugitive charge.

In addition, White held Billy Ramey in contempt of court on one of three open contempt of court charges that he had pending and sentenced him to 12 months in jail. White dismissed the other two contempt of court charges.

Court records indicate that Billy Ramey can purge that 12-month sentence by paying the restitution that he owes in full.

Bird said that the two men are suspects in other storage facility break-ins.

"I do believe they are connected to the ones in the south end of the county because that is where they are from. We don’t have anything concrete that puts them there yet," Bird noted. "We are going to pass our information to Kentucky State Police on the ones they are working, but I believe they are all related."

Williamsburg Police Detective Bobby Freeman, Officer Jason Strunk and his K-9 partner Vicko assisted with the investigation.