Three men suspected of receiving $8,000 worth of property

Three Athens residents have been arrested and charged for their alleged involvement in several vehicle break-ins across the county.

Police arrested and charged Jason M. Hewson, 19, of 28 Moore Ave.; Franklin J. Holmes, 21, of 28 Moore Ave.; and Nicholas A. Stewart, 18, of 5816 Pleasant Hill Road, with receiving stolen property, according to an Ohio University Police Department news release.

The charge is a fourth degree felony with a maximum sentence of six to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine, OUPD Lt. Chris Johnson said.

The men are suspected of stealing property from 15 to 20 vehicles Sunday night and yesterday morning, according to the release. More than 50 pieces of evidence were obtained with search warrants of 28 Moore Ave and of the vehicle they were in.

The evidence is valued at more than $8,000. This includes a professional camera estimated at $6,000, Johnson said.

Two OUPD officers apprehended the three men near James Hall at 4:15 a.m. yesterday. When the officers saw the amount of property, they called Athens Police Department and the Athens County Sheriff's Office, Johnson said. All three departments received reports of break-ins during the time period.

"We have a mutual aid agreement with (them)," he said.

The case still is under investigation. Police need to go through all of the evidence that they obtained.

"There may be additional charges, once they get through processing all of the evidence," Johnson said.

OUPD, APD and the sheriff's office still are trying to match the pieces of property with the proper owners. People whose vehicles were entered during the time in question should contact one of the three departments so they can identify their property.

— by Erica Solvig