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Local man seeks help in solving breaking and entering case

By Staff | Mar 4, 2009

A local man needs help in finding the culprits who broke into his grandparent’s property and stole several items, including a shotgun.

Sometime between Feb. 19 and Feb 26, one or more individuals broke into the Wilson farm in Dale, W.Va. The farm belongs to Rick Lemasters and it had belonged to his late grandparents before that.

“This was a family home, this was my grandparents’ home,” said Lemasters. “They’ve been gone for years. It’s my hunting camp now. That old farm house has been there 100 years and no one has bothered it.”.

Lemasters, who checks on the property every two weeks, stopped by the farm and found it to be far different than he had left it.

“There was stuff in the yard when I got there,” described Lemasters. “They kicked in the back door. They just were dropping stuff. There was stuff outside. It must have been someone on foot. There were brand new power tools and new chainsaws in there. They went through a bunch of small boxes. They were taking cereal and junk.”

Far more than cereal and tools were stolen. Lemasters is also missing a 12-gauge single shot camo-painted shotgun, a rifle stock, ammo, and miscellaneous items. An exact date for the break-in is unknown, but Lemasters is sure it happened in the last 14 days.

“It would have to have been in the last two weeks of February,” said Lemasters. “The last warm spell was a couple of weeks ago and I was down there when it got pretty nice out. It was in the last two weeks of February to be sure. I actually think it was in the last week of February.”

Lemasters filed a report with the West Virginia State Police. TFC S. Currans inspected the damage to the home on Feb. 26. The investigation is ongoing.

“What I did was call the Sheriff’s Department, and they sent a (State) Trooper up,” described Lemasters. “They couldn’t do much. They came up and looked around. I had already had to secure the house and nail the door shut.

“When you look up and see that the door has been kicked in, it’s a real sick feeling I’m telling you,” added Lemasters.

Stories of theft and property destruction at campsites and private property are becoming too familiar according to Lemasters.

“I guess it’s pretty common there anymore,” remarked Lemasters. “I think it’s kids in the neighborhood. I guess there is a lot of breaking and entering out there at deer camps and ransacking. It might be some kids and maybe their parents will see that they have stuff that they shouldn’t be having.”

If anyone has any information, please call 304-374-0433. A reward is being offered for the safe return of the stolen items.