Five arrested in connection with Highland Park vehicle break-ins

Williamsburg police have arrested five people in connection with a theft ring that they believe is responsible for breaking into at least nine vehicles in the Highland Park area over a two-day period.

Williamsburg Police Officer Brandon White, who is leading the investigation, said that most of the break-ins occurred on Nov. 19, but at least one took place on Nov. 18.

White said that he doesn’t have a total dollar figure on how much was taken, but that much of the stolen property was recovered from two local residences where police executed search warrants and has been returned to the rightful property owners.

White said he has also recovered a small amount of stolen property that hasn’t been identified. He is asking that anyone, who lives in the Highland Park area and had their vehicles broken into recently, to contact him at 549-6017.

About 1:33 a.m. Sunday, White arrested Corey R. Anderson, 19, of Gray, charging him with second-degree burglary and receiving stolen property.

He received a call from a victim, Danny Davenport, who said that Anderson was at Rice Street with his stolen property.

When White arrived at the scene, he found Davenport with Anderson, who told him he had broken into Davenport’s vehicle, forged a check taken from there, and tried to cash it at the Stop and Save in the Highland Park area, according to an arrest citation.

White contacted Stop and Save officials, who identified Anderson as the person, who allegedly tried to pass a check there belonging to Davenport, according to the citation.

Anderson then took White to where he had hidden the rest of Davenport’s property in the weeds off Moore Road, including Davenport’s driver’s license, social security card and checkbook, according to the citation.

White then obtained a statement from Anderson where he allegedly admitted breaking into several vehicles, and used stolen credit cards from the vehicles to make several purchases in Williamsburg and Jellico, according to his arrest citation.

About 7:12 a.m. Sunday, White arrested Franklin A. Mills, 29, of 224 Rice Street, Williamsburg, after obtaining an arrest warrant charging him with second-degree forgery.

The warrant alleged that Mills and Anderson broke into several vehicles in the Highland park area. After the thefts, Mills was with Anderson when he allegedly forged a check belonging to Davenport.

Anderson told police that both he and Mills forged checks and broke into several vehicles in Williamsburg. Police recovered the stolen property from their residence on Rice Street, according to the arrest warrant.

Anderson told police that he had been staying at that residence.

On Monday, White took out more arrest warrants against Mills and Anderson charging them with receiving stolen property under $10,000 and nine counts of theft by unlawful taking from an automobile.

He also obtained arrest warrants against three other individuals Monday, who allegedly had stolen property that was taken during the break-ins.

White charged Kenneth L. Fallen, 42, of 224 Rice Street, with second-degree forgery and receiving stolen property under $10,000.

According to his arrest warrant, on Nov. 19, he allegedly had a forged check belonging to Davenport and was in possession of stolen property.

In addition, White charged Jerod Wade Wright, 33, and Tina M. Morrisey, 39, both of 360 Henry Barton Road, with receiving stolen property under $10,000.

According to their arrest warrants, the duo allegedly were in possession of stolen property that police found searching their residence. The property was taken as a result of several vehicle thefts.
White said that the duo gave police permission to search their residence.

Knox County Sheriff John Pickard, Deputy Derek Eubanks, and Corbin Police Officer Rick Baker all assisted with the investigation along with Williamsburg Police Officers Elijah Hunter, Tim Shelley and Jason Strunk.