Alleged playground equipment thieves caught

Two local residents, who are accused of stealing playground equipment from a Williamsburg daycare on July 23, have been apprehended.

The Jellico Police Department arrested Arthur D. Hill, 49, of Williamsburg, and Amanda L. Rogers, 33, of Jellico, also known as Amanda Johnson, Saturday evening serving them with Whitley County arrest warrants for theft by unlawful taking or disposition over $500 but less than $10,000.

Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird said that Jellico Police Chief Chris Anderson had been trying to gain information about the whereabouts of the two, and he eventually conducted a traffic stop Saturday shortly before 8:30 p.m. on High Cliff Road, which is located near the state line.

Both suspects were arrested without incident, and waived extradition back to Kentucky. Williamsburg Police Officer David Rowe then went to Jellico and transported the pair to the Whitley County Detention Center where they were booked shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday.

Hill and Rogers pleaded not guilty during their arraignment Monday afternoon in Whitley District Court.

Judge Cathy Prewitt appointed the public advocate’s office to represent each defendant, scheduled an Aug. 15 preliminary hearing in their cases, and set a $10,000 cash bond. She also ordered that each defendant have no contact with the daycare if they are released from custody.

Security camera footage showed thieves folding up the playground equipment and placing it in their vehicle about 2:15 p.m. on July 23, at Soggy Bottoms Too daycare, which is located in the rear of Cumberland Regional Mall.

Bird said that investigators initially thought the two suspects were Hispanic based upon still pictures that police shot from a computer screen of the security camera footage. Once officers gained access to the original video, they were able to quickly identify the suspects.

Soggy Bottoms Too Owner Frances Woods said that many of the children thought the playground equipment had been “blown away,” when they showed up at the daycare center the following Monday morning when the theft was discovered.

“Kids love to be outside. When a kid looks at you and they have tears in their eyes because there is nothing to play with. It is hurtful,” Woods noted.

Thanks to the efforts of some Williamsburg police officers and the Williamsburg Wal-Mart, the children soon got new playground equipment to play on soon after the theft.

Williamsburg Police Detective Bobby Freeman, who investigated the case, said that it upset him when he learned about the theft.

“These children have to have something to play with here in the daycare,” Freeman said. “When we got here, everything that they play with besides a couple of things had been stolen.”

Freeman said that he and other officers decided to help out and try and get some donations so the kids would have something to play with.

“We are fortunate to have a Wal-Mart here that really cares about the community. Any time something like this happens, our Wal-Mart always steps forward,” Bird added. “Wal-Mart took an almost $400 piece of playground equipment and discounted it all but $53.”

Freeman, Deputy Chief Jason Caddell, K-9 Officer Brandon Prewitt and Gina Hamblin, an employee at Williamsburg City Hall, donated the remaining money to purchase the new equipment.

“Things are bad all over the United States right now. Any time that we can give back to the community we will,” Freeman said.

He thinks this is something that the children will remember for a long time.

In addition, Bird said several officers checked around their homes for any old toys or equipment they had, which their own children had either outgrown or no longer played with and also took that to the daycare.

Woods said she was shocked when she heard about what the officers had done.

“I was amazed. It brought tears to my eyes. People think that police are just there to protect you but they have great big hearts,” Woods noted. “We are lucky to live in a city like Williamsburg. If one of us is hurting then we are all hurting. We all chip in to help each other out. It is just overwhelming what they did for us.”