Four Cook County, Illinois, residents have been arrested in connection to an investigation involving the theft of more than $80,000 in tires for semitrailers from two Seymour stores.
The four Maywood men, Christopher Edmond, 54, Willie C. Murphy, 56, Nathaniel Murphy, 69, and Randell Murphy, 72, face charges of burglary, theft and criminal mischief.
On July 11, patrol officers with the Seymour Police Department responded to Best-One Kentuckiana, 1000 S. Commerce, Drive, in reference to a burglary that occurred earlier in the morning.
Once officers arrived and began to investigate, they found more than $70,000 worth of semi tires had been taken from the location, according to a news release from SPD Lt. C.J. Foster. Investigators were called to the scene to process and collect potential evidence.
In the initial stages of the investigation, police learned a rental box truck from Ryder in Austin had been stolen and was used to remove the tires from Best-One Kentuckiana, Foster said.
On Aug. 14, officers responded Kirk NationaLease, 1001 S. Commerce Drive, in reference to a stolen box truck from the location. During the investigation, police later looked at video and noticed the individuals responsible for taking the box truck may have possibly broken into Pomp’s Tire Service, 965 Commerce Drive, Foster said.
The next day, officers responded to Pomp’s Tire Service in reference to a burglary and theft of more than $10,000 in mounted tires for semis. Investigators were called to the scene and noticed holes were cut through the fence outside the business, Foster said.
As investigators worked through numerous leads, they were able to identify four suspects in the burglary and theft from Best-One Kentuckiana: Edmond and the three Murphys.
Investigators also were able to determine Nathaniel Murphy and Willie Murphy were involved in the burglary and theft of the box truck from Kirk NationaLease and the burglary and theft of the tires from Pomp’s, Foster said.
Investigators presented their cases to the Jackson County prosecutor, and arrest warrants were issued for all four suspects. Charges of burglary, theft and criminal mischief were requested.
Once the arrest warrants were issued, they were forwarded to the Maywood Police Department. All four men have been arrested by Maywood police. That department had originally assisted in identifying some of the suspects, Foster said.
Edmond already has been extradited back to Indiana, while the three Murphys are incarcerated in Illinois and are awaiting extradition back to Indiana.
The investigation is still active, and SPD investigators are currently working with the West Chicago Police Department and Minooka Police Department in Illinois and the Plymouth Police Department in Indiana, as the four men may be suspects in cases being investigated by the respective police departments.