Burglars keep courts, police busy

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Even with the McCook Police Department rounding up individuals involved in local burglaries on a regular basis, reports of local businesses being broken into continue to come in. This week the McCook Police Department is investigating burglary reports from three businesses again located on North U.S. Highway 83.

According to a press release, during the early morning hours of Thursday, March 1, Nebraska Public Power District, Curley Olney's and TJ's Family Fun Center were all broken into. TJ's and NPPD reported break-ins previously in October 2011, as did McCook Public Power District.

Items taken during the most recent burglaries include cash and tools, with each business suffering damage to the buildings or property inside. Investigators have determined that evidence found at each scene indicates that the burglaries are all connected, as was the case with the 2011 burglaries on U.S. Highway 83.

The McCook Police Department has asked that anyone with information pertaining to these or any other crimes to call 308-345- 3450 or Crime stoppers at 308-345-5440.


Less than two months after the 2011 report of the burglaries on U.S Highway 83 the McCook Police Department arrested a McCook couple and uncovered an abundance of evidence at their home that linked them to several other burglaries in the area.

The couple, 36-year-old Hap Wells and 36-year-old Tammy Knight, were implicated following the reported burglary at McCorkle Motors in December 2011.

Court documents recently revealed the pair has allegedly been linked to burglaries at Quality Irrigation, Stockmans Feed and Supply, Frenchman Valley Coop at Perry, Oberlin Kansas School District, Decatur Coop, Reeves Seedhouse and Southwest Implement of Oberlin, in addition to McCorkle Motors.

Wells is scheduled for a hearing in Red Willow County District Court today and faces five Class III felony burglary charges in addition to four counts of theft by receiving stolen property, three of which are also felonies.

Knight is scheduled for a June 19, 2012, jury trial and is facing one Class III felony burglary charge in addition to four other felonies and one misdemeanor.

One of the two McCook men responsible for the November 2011 burglary of Huegel's Hutch Antiques in McCook, accepted a plea agreement Monday which admitted guilt to Class III felony burglary. The offender, 20-year-old Prestin G. Remington, was originally accused of stealing more than $50,000 in jewelry from the retailer and is now scheduled for a April 2, 2012, sentencing.

In Nebraska Class III felonies carry a minimum sentence of one year imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $25,000 fine.

Remington's alleged accomplice in the burglary of Huegels Hutch, 22-year-old Trevor D. Gray, pleaded not guilty to a Class IV felony charge of theft by unlawful taking and is scheduled for a March 20, 2012, jury trial.

The pair was implicated in the burglary after a 2007 Kawasaki motorcycle was reported stolen from a West J Street residence and eventually tracked by investigators to Remington's apartment.

During the hearing Monday Remington also admitted to violating his court ordered probation that he was serving for two unrelated burglary charges he was convicted of in April 2011. Those charges resulted in a 24 month probation sentence and stem from the August 2010 burglary of JC Penneys in McCook, as well as a break-in and theft of a laptop from McCook High School.

The probation violations stem from yet another arrest of Remington for burglary in Furnas County in November 2011. Details of that incident were unavailable.

Sentencing for probation violations committed by another McCook burglar, 27-year-old Kyle Wayne Weiser of 807 W. Second Street, which were set for March 5 in Red Willow County District Court were rescheduled for April 2.

Weiser was originally sentenced to 18 months probation in 2011 after he was convicted of a Class IV felony of attempted burglary. The charge stemmed from his December 2010 arrest by McCook police officers that caught Weiser hiding behind an upstairs bedroom door of an apartment that he had broken into.

According to court documents Weiser tested positive for methamphetamine the month following his 18 month probation sentence, in addition to testing positive for marijuana in May, June, August and October of 2011. He admitted to the violations in February 2012.