Constable Says Suspect Caught In AC Thefts

Twenty minutes after the wires were cut and an air conditioner was taken from a church near the county line on FM 751, a suspect was arrested and the air conditioner was recovered.

The incident occurred at about 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 20. Constable Kent Layton said he made the arrest after a description of a vehicle and license plate numbers were broadcast by the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office. He said he spotted a three-quarter ton Ford F250 pickup truck with similar looks with a plate that displayed part of the broadcast numbers.

A tip was given by a bystander that an air conditioner had just been unloaded at the location, Layton said, and he then arrested a 48-year-old suspect. "Air conditioners were piled all around the house," he said.

Layton arrested the suspect on a charge of possession of stolen property. He said he anticipated the arrests of two additional men on similar charges.

Layton outlined plans for the formation of a Lake Area Response Team made up of the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office, Layton’s constable office and as many of the other entities in south Hunt County that wanted to participate.

He said he had been in talks with Sheriff Randy Meeks and his chief deputy, Joe Knight, concerning the team.

Layton anticipates the team would be utilized for major crimes, drownings, crowd control and training.