Kirk advises citizens to “look after’ their own property
THEFT CASES RISING IN AREA AS ECONOMY WORSENS
The Martin County Sheriff’s Department arrested two suspects on Wednesday, August 24, in connection to a stolen ATV. It later turned out that those two suspects happened to be family members of Martin County Sheriff John Kirk.
“I arrested two of my fourth cousins for receiving stolen property,” said Sheriff Kirk.
The ATV theft suspects who were charged were identified as Brett Kirk, 18, of Columbus, Ohio, and Johnny Kirk, 19, of Beauty, Kentucky. Both teenagers were charged with the felony of • RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY UNDER/$10,000.
The identities of who was arrested may have been a surprise, but Sheriff Kirk said the crime wasn’t, WYMT reported..
Local law enforcement officials say ATV thefts happen more frequently in the summer. Police throughout the Big Sandy river area are warning people to not leave any ATV unattended. Police agencies on both sides of the Tug river said there were two separate ATV’s stolen in Martin County Thursday and three more recently stolen across the border in Mingo County, West Virginia.
Martin Co. Sheriff John Kirk said as the economy gets worse there will be an even bigger problem with crime and the police are asking for your help. “You know I’d just like to see people be a little more proactive instead of reactive, you know, they need to try to secure their property,” Kirk said.
It is advice the Sheriff follows when looking after his own property.
Kirk said he sees people leave their ATV’s unattended even in his own neighborhood.
“There’s no way I would leave mine sitting there like that,” added Kirk.
Sheriff Kirk said despite being limited on resources, the police are doing everything they can to keep people and their property safe.
This most recent felony theft marks at least the third time in the last year and a half Sheriff Kirk has arrested a family member implicated in a felony stolen property case. In all three of these cases, the charged suspects, besides being relatives, (cousins), they also shared the same first and last names as Sheriff John Kirk.
