It has been more than two years since burglars broke into Marion Recycling Center and stole thousands of dollars worth of metal.
What has puzzled law enforcement since the September 2014 burglary is that despite great evidence from video cameras in downtown Marion, the criminals have never been caught.
“This one has always troubled me because we couldn’t solve it. And it still does,” said Crittenden County Sheriff Wayne Agent.
Agent lives only a short distance from the recycling center and responded quickly at 2 a.m., when an automatic burglar alarm went off at the facility on U.S. 641 about two miles south of Marion. When the sheriff responded to the scene he found the doors locked and nothing seemingly out of place. He assumed the alarm was accidentally tripped, which is a regular occurrence with many systems. As it turned out, the burglars were either inside at that time or watching from somewhere nearby as the sheriff checked on the facility.
Finding nothing out of place, the sheriff left. Yet an hour later when the owner arrived, it was determined that intruders had gotten away with two large pallets of copper wire.
Investigators believe the burglars used a cutting device to go through the metal wall of the building.
Luckily for investigators, two video surveillance cameras in downtown Marion caught the alleged thieves driving through town with the stolen loot on a flatbed truck.
The videotape was widely distributed, generating a number of calls and tips. However, Sheriff Agent says nothing ever panned out.
“We thought we had pretty good evidence with the video,” he said. “We even asked Kentucky State Police to enhance it, but it didn’t help.”
Agent said anyone with information can call his office at (270) 965-3400 or Marion central dispatching at (270) 965-3500 and remain anonymous.
