Scott County couple charged in theft of pallets

VAN BUREN, Mo. — A Scott County couple who own property along Current River in Van Buren face theft-related charges stemming from a recent investigation into stolen pallets in Bollinger County.

Gregory A. Casey is charged with the Class D felony of stealing and the Class B misdemeanor of first-degree trespassing. His wife, Karrie Irby-Casey, was issued a summons to appear in court on a stealing by deceit charge.

The charges reportedly stem from an investigation, which began June 18 by the Marble Hill Police Department.

Casey and another man, according to Marble Hill Police Chief Mark Tragesser, allegedly stole 200 pallets from Crader Distributing Company on Highway 34 West.

The theft, Tragesser said, occurred at 8:30 p.m. and was caught on surveillance video.

“They loaded them, without strapping them down, and took off,” Tragesser said.

The surveillance video, Tragesser said, provided officers with vehicle and clothing descriptions of the suspects.

One of the suspects, Tragesser said, was wearing a work shirt identified by the owner of Crader Distributing as being from the Sikeston company where his business buys its pallets.

Tragesser did not identify the second suspect by name, but he is believed to be James E. Ebanks of Sikeston. He faces the same charges as Casey, according to Casenet.

During the investigation, Tragesser said, Marble Hill officers, with assistance from Scott County deputies, went to the Sikeston pallet mill, where they saw the same truck from the video.

An employee there, the chief said, is a relative of the Caseys and knew the pallets had been delivered to Marble Hill.

“He delivered the pallets, then turned around and stole the pallets,” said Tragesser, who indicated the Caseys have a pallet company (Pallet Connection) at Blodgett. The Caseys also reportedly own property in the Bass Rock subdivision along Current River.

At their Blodgett business, “they get pallets and fix the broken ones and resell them,” Tragesser said. “(Pallets) are all you see in their yard,” and they have a building where they do all the work.

Tragesser said he spoke with Irby-Casey, who reported their relative had permission to take the pallets from Crader.

“She never said anything about her husband or her being involved in taking them,” Tragesser said.

After checking with all employees on its loading dock, “Crader stayed strong” about no one giving anyone permission to take the pallets and wanting to pursue charges for their theft, Tragesser said.

When Irby-Casey found out charges were going to be sought, “she wanted to return” the pallets to Crader. The pallets reportedly had been taken to Blodgett to be sold.

Irby-Casey, the chief said, was supposed to pay another individual $100 to deliver the pallets to Crader.

Officers, he said, contacted that individual, who was found “not to be involved and had no knowledge. He was just paid to deliver the pallets,” however, he never got his money from Irby-Casey.

Irby-Casey, Tragesser said, followed that individual to Crader when he went to deliver the pallets.

The chief said Irby-Casey had an invoice for 200 pallets, but there were only 150, so she was arrested on suspicion of stealing by deceit.

Tragesser described the pallets as being “used and abused,” not new.

“Crader never got their pallets back,” Tragesser said.

At the time of her July arrest, Irby-Casey was issued a summons, ordering her to appear in court on Sept. 5.

An attorney representing her husband appeared in a Bollinger County court on Aug. 8 his client’s behalf.

During the hearing, Associate Circuit Judge Scott Thomsen set Casey’s preliminary hearing for 10 a.m. Sept. 26.

Ebanks also is to appear at 10 a.m. Sept. 26 for a preliminary hearing in his case.