KY Man Arrested In Connection With Local
Auto Theft
Oneida, TN (2011-06-14) A Kentucky man apparently
wanted a car really bad. Bad enough, he
allegedly stole it. The car was
recovered and the car thief has been jailed.
Douglas E.
Wagers, 29, of Kentucky
was arrested last week following an investigation by the Oneida Police
Department, the McCreary County Sheriff’s Department and the Kentucky State
Police into a car stolen from a local auto repair shop. Wagers has been
charged with auto burglary, theft of over $1,000, and vandalism of over $500.
On June 7,
2011, a vehicle was stolen from the parking lot of Hard Knox Garage, an auto
repair shop located near the Oak Grove intersection in Oneida.
After reviewing surveillance footage from a nearby business, authorities
learned a male subject wearing a black hoodie and
blue jeans had taken the vehicle shortly after 7:00 a.m. Following the
incident, several flyers were placed around town looking for information
regarding the theft.
An
anonymous tipster led authorities to Wagers, who was reportedly found at a
residence in Kentucky. Oneida Police Officer Gerry Garrett,
accompanied by McCreary County Sheriff David Sampson and KSP Officer Phillip
Hayes, went to a Kentucky
home, where both the car and Wagers were reportedly found. Wagers, stated a warrant filed by Officer
Garrett, fled the scene on foot, but was quickly located hiding under a porch
of a nearby residence.
Inside the
car, authorities allegedly found an “off-brand” key in the ignition and
discovered the car’s electrical system had been altered. The owner of the property where the car was
discovered claimed Wagers had brought the vehicle to him for repair, claiming
the vehicle had an alternator problem.
The vehicle, stated authorities, was in the local repair shop for a
voltage regulation problem.
After
Wagers was identified, the owner of the garage claimed the suspect had asked
several times the day before the theft about buying the car. The garage owner reportedly informed Wagers
the vehicle wasn’t for sale.