A Facebook post allegedly advertising stolen merchandise led to Monday’s arrest of a suspect in a couple of recent Tallahatchie County larceny cases.
Tallahatchie County Sheriff Jimmy Fly said Brian Mitchell Statham, 51, of 365 Hunt Road, Foxworth, is being held on a bond of $53,000 for charges, one count each, of grand larceny, trespassing, malicious mischief and petty larceny.
The grand larceny charge is associated with the theft of a Honda 520 four-wheeler and trailer reported stolen June 26 from Highway 32, noted Fly.
He said the latter three charges relate to an incident Friday in which Statham allegedly stole a leaf blower and propane bottle torch from the porch of a hunting camp on White Lake Road.
That event was captured on surveillance video by cameras at the camp. Visible in the background was a white Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by the prowler.
The sheriff shared with The Sun-Sentinel a still image and video footage of the then unknown suspect at the camp, and the video was posted on the newspaper’s website and Facebook page.
On Saturday, Fly said the sheriff’s office received a call from someone who spotted the white truck on Highway 32 between Webb and Parchman and had recorded the license plate number.
“Once we got the tag, we were able to determine the owner of the vehicle,” said Fly.
A search of the truck owner’s name led investigators to Statham’s Facebook page, where the sheriff said numerous items were listed for sale. In the post, Statham even provided a Leland address where he could be contacted, Fly noted.
Statham was picked up Monday and detained by Washington County officials. Tallahatchie County deputies took him into custody that afternoon. He was booked at 4:25 p.m., the sheriff added.
Fly said the Honda four-wheeler, leaf blower and propane torch reported stolen from Tallahatchie County were recovered from the Leland property. Also found there were items reported stolen from Sunflower County.
“I really appreciate the help from the public, along with Washington County and Panola County, and also the camp owner for having the cameras up,” said Fly. “Without the cameras and that anonymous call, there are several pieces of property that probably would have never been found or recovered.”
The sheriff noted that Statham was recently released on parole for prior convictions of property crimes, including burglary and grand larceny, and that the Mississippi Department of Corrections had a hold on him. He said Panola County also had placed a hold on Statham for the theft of a trailer that occurred there.
