Police from two agencies charge Elswick

A Williamsburg man is now facing charges in connection with an alleged break-in at a Williamsburg business, and the theft of a vehicle from another Williamsburg business following separate investigations by different police agencies.

Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy John Hill arrested Hobert Lee Elswick Jr., 43, on March 9 charging him with theft by unlawful taking or disposition auto over $500 but less than $10,000, and theft by unlawful taking parts from a vehicle under $500.

The next day, Williamsburg Police Detective Bobby Freeman charged Elswick with third-degree burglary.

Elswick pleaded not guilty to all the charges and during a court hearing Monday afternoon, Whitley District Judge Cathy Prewitt scheduled a March 21 preliminary hearing in both cases.

On Feb. 18, Hill began investigating a report by Edgewood Mobile Homes that a company vehicle was stolen.

“Several days later, Deputy Hill received information of the truck’s possible whereabouts from Kentucky State Police Trooper David Lassiter,” Sheriff Colan Harrell said in a release.

The tip indicated that the truck could be found in Georgia and that Elswick, a former employee at the company, was the individual who took it.

Elswick reportedly had been arrested in the Atlanta metro area for shoplifting, the release noted.

Hill contacted Georgia law enforcement, who located the vehicle outside the business from which Elswick was accused of shoplifting, the release stated.

On March 9, Freeman interviewed a witness, who told police that Elswick had allegedly broken into the Williamsburg Trading Post, which is also a tattoo parlor, according to Elswick’s arrest citation.

The witness told police that Elswick allegedly got the key to enter the business from Jessica Robinson, and that he took cash and other items from the business, Freeman wrote on the arrest citation.

Freeman recovered a lip ring from the witness’ mouth that Elswick had allegedly given to her, the citation stated.

Elswick is being held in the Whitley County Detention Center in lieu of a $10,000 cash bond in the theft case and a $7,500 cash bond in the burglary case, according to district court records.

The public advocate’s office has been appointed to represent Elswick in both cases.