Man faces charges in two counties after spree

SIKESTON — A Southeast Missouri man faces charges in two counties after stealing two vehicles and damaging property in less than an hour Thursday in Sikeston.

According to Sgt. Dylan Jenkins with Sikeston Department of Public Safety, at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, officers with Sikeston Department of Public Safety were called to the 300 block of Helen Street in reference to a possible stolen vehicle being located. Upon their arrival, officers found a van and were able to make contact with the owner and learned the vehicle had been stolen an hour prior.

There was a lot of damage to the van, which was a work vehicle for the owner, Jenkins said.

“Officers also learned the van had caused property damage on Pine Street by driving through and around someone’s yard,” he said.

As officers were investigating, other officers received reports of a reckless driver in the downtown Sikeston area near Front and New Madrid Streets, Jenkins said.

“As officers were responding to that call, we received a call from a victim stating that their car — a silver Chrysler 300 — had been stolen from the same area,” Jenkins said.

The vehicle matched the description of the one of the reckless driver, he said.

Then DPS received another call of a vehicle off in a ditch on Ingram in the Sikeston Sports Complex, according to Jenkins.

“Officers went to that area. They located the vehicle, which was still running, and a male was seen fleeing the area,” he said.

The male was located and detained near the Clinton Building around 3:50 p.m.

Also as this was going on, Jenkins said, the wrecked Chrysler 300 had caught fire, and DPS’s fire division responded to extinguish the vehicle fire.

“Due to the investigation, it was determined the male subject had stolen the van from Persimmons Street, caused property damage on Pine Street, abandoned the van on Helen Street before making his way to the downtown area of Front Street and New Madrid Streets, where he stole another vehicle and then wrecked it at the complex,” Jenkins said, noting from the time the van was located until the time the male was arrested was 17 minutes.

The 34-year-old man, whose name is being withheld pending the filing of formal charges, faces first-degree tampering charge and first degree property damage charge in Scott County and a first-degree tampering charge and second-degree property charge in New Madrid County. He is being held at Sikeston DPS.