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Joint investigation recovers items
By Jamie Brockwell
Evening Times Staff Writer
A joint investigation conducted by the West Memphis and Marion Police Departments ended in the recovery of some very pricey items and the arrest of an individual police believe is responsible for stealing the items from local churches.
According to WMPD Asst. Chief Mike Allen, West Memphis and Marion banded together after the recent burglaries of West Memphis First Baptist Church on Missouri Street and Marion First Baptist Church on Highway 77.
Both burglaries occurred during the same weekend, and in both incidents the suspect(s) took sound equipment.
Allen says that after the burglaries, Marion Detective Freddy Williams along with West Memphis Detectives Brian Shelton and Lt. Ken Mitchell began working together on investigating the crimes.
“During the course of the investigation, they received some information about a subject who was in custody in DeSoto County (Miss.) and his possible involvement in these crimes,” said Allen. “Det. Williams and Det. Shelton went to DeSoto County and through further investigation they recovered some of the property that had been stolen from the churches at a pawn shop.”
The big ticket item that was recovered was WMFBC's Soundcraft 32 channel soundboard valued in excess of $10,000. From Marion FBC the investigators recovered two EV speakers valued at $1,000.
The shop also had records of an electronic drum set which investigators say belonged to WMFBC, valued at $3,000, which had already been sold by the shop.
Still missing is the MFBC's soundboard, a Spirit Live by Soundcraft, valued at $8,000.
Detectives have identified the subject who pawned the items, and believe that he is also the one who stole the items from the churches. He has been identified as Kenneth Wray, 25, of Como, Miss.
Allen said that Wray, the son of ex-chief of police of Bartlett, Tenn., is currently being held in DeSoto County for grand theft and larceny on a $110,00 bond. He is also wanted out of Lafayette County for burglary and larceny.
Allen says that the Marion and West Memphis charges will now be added to that list, and that the investigation on how the suspect entered the churches is still ongoing.
“The church here in West Memphis has a sophisticated alarm system,” said Allen. “It is unclear to us how he got in and out with these large items unless he entered when the church was already opened for another event.”
Allen says that getting the costly items back and getting the man they believe is responsible for committing crimes against a church is very satisfying to the investigators, who believe that they might have had a little extra help in these cases.
“I feel like our detectives might have had a little help from the man upstairs on this one,” said Allen.
By Jamie Brockwell
Evening Times Staff Writer
A joint investigation conducted by the West Memphis and Marion Police Departments ended in the recovery of some very pricey items and the arrest of an individual police believe is responsible for stealing the items from local churches.
According to WMPD Asst. Chief Mike Allen, West Memphis and Marion banded together after the recent burglaries of West Memphis First Baptist Church on Missouri Street and Marion First Baptist Church on Highway 77.
Both burglaries occurred during the same weekend, and in both incidents the suspect(s) took sound equipment.
Allen says that after the burglaries, Marion Detective Freddy Williams along with West Memphis Detectives Brian Shelton and Lt. Ken Mitchell began working together on investigating the crimes.
“During the course of the investigation, they received some information about a subject who was in custody in DeSoto County (Miss.) and his possible involvement in these crimes,” said Allen. “Det. Williams and Det. Shelton went to DeSoto County and through further investigation they recovered some of the property that had been stolen from the churches at a pawn shop.”
The big ticket item that was recovered was WMFBC's Soundcraft 32 channel soundboard valued in excess of $10,000. From Marion FBC the investigators recovered two EV speakers valued at $1,000.
The shop also had records of an electronic drum set which investigators say belonged to WMFBC, valued at $3,000, which had already been sold by the shop.
Still missing is the MFBC's soundboard, a Spirit Live by Soundcraft, valued at $8,000.
Detectives have identified the subject who pawned the items, and believe that he is also the one who stole the items from the churches. He has been identified as Kenneth Wray, 25, of Como, Miss.
Allen said that Wray, the son of ex-chief of police of Bartlett, Tenn., is currently being held in DeSoto County for grand theft and larceny on a $110,00 bond. He is also wanted out of Lafayette County for burglary and larceny.
Allen says that the Marion and West Memphis charges will now be added to that list, and that the investigation on how the suspect entered the churches is still ongoing.
“The church here in West Memphis has a sophisticated alarm system,” said Allen. “It is unclear to us how he got in and out with these large items unless he entered when the church was already opened for another event.”
Allen says that getting the costly items back and getting the man they believe is responsible for committing crimes against a church is very satisfying to the investigators, who believe that they might have had a little extra help in these cases.
“I feel like our detectives might have had a little help from the man upstairs on this one,” said Allen.
