Two Charged For Stealing Gas At Pyles Excavating

Two Adair County men have been arrested after being caught attempting to steal a large quantity of gasoline from a local excavating company.

Events leading to the arrests began around 10 p.m. Thursday night when Columbia Police Department Officer Terry Flatt, while on routine patrol on Fairground Street, noticed two individuals at the bulk gas tanks at Pyles Excavating at the corner of Fairground and Wain Streets. The pair were in the process of pumping gas from one of the large tanks into a tank on the back of a pickup truck.

When Officer Flatt pulled in, the two men fled. Officer Flatt, with the assistance of Officer Brad Scholl, was able to apprehend and arrest one of the men. Thomas Nye, 19, of Columbia, was arrested and charged with theft by unlawful taking under $300 and criminal trespassing third degree.

A warrant was obtained for the second individual, and at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Kenny Koch, 26, of Columbia was arrested on the same charges.

Both men were lodged in the Adair County Regional Jail. 

Columbia Police Chief Mark Harris said that the method the two men were using to steal the gas was innovative.

“They had put a long hose into the vent pipe on the tank, then hooked jumper cables to the truck’s battery to power a pump that was pumping the gas from a large tank into a tank on the back of the pickup,” he explained. “They definitely knew what they were doing.”

Chief Harris said the truck used in the attempted theft was impounded, but was owned by another individual who was not involved or aware of what was going on, so it was later released to that individual.

Pyles Excavating owner Danny Pyles said that he is very appreciative of the efforts by the local police officers.

“The officers did a fine job in discovering and preventing the theft,” Pyles said. “I think most of us take our police department for granted, and don’t appreciate the jobs they do until something happens that affects you personally.

“We’re fortunate to have such a well-trained and dedicated police force here,” he continued.

Woman arrested for shoplifting

A Columbia woman was arrested Friday after being caught shoplifting at Wal-Mart in Columbia.

Miranda Young, 39, was arrested at 1 p.m. Friday and charged with theft by unlawful taking and public intoxication.

Young was lodged in the Adair County Regional Jail. The arrest was made by Columbia Police Department Officer Jr. Murphy.