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Photo courtesy of the Upson County Sheriff's Office.
Photo courtesy of the Pike County Sheriff's Office.
Photo courtesy of the Pike County Sheriff's Office.
Photo courtesy of the Pike County Sheriff's Office.
Photo courtesy of the Pike County Sheriff's Office.
ZEBULON (This article was updated on 1.25.19) - Pike County and Upson County Sheriff’s Investigators have teamed up over the past several days to investigate several thefts that have occurred in both counties over the past several months. Two arrests have been made as of now. Ethan Osbolt, 26 years of age, and Kevin Chapman, 31 years of age, are both facing numerous charges.
[This section was added on 1.25.19]
Sheriff Dan Kilgore advised Pike County Times that on November 29, 2018, a Caterpillar Track loader valued at $30,000 was reported stolen from Bailey Mill Road, on November 30, 2018, a 1985 Kenworth Truck valued at $25,000 was stolen, and recovered a short distance away, from Willis Road, and on January 21, 2019 at Komatsu PC55 mini excavator valued at $35,000 was stolen from a construction site on Barnesville Highway in Upson County.
Sheriff Kilgore advised that the Komatsu was equipped with a GPS device that lead investigators to an address on Hwy 109 west in Pike County. With the assistance of the Pike County Sheriff’s Office the Komatsu was recovered and it was determined that the following individuals were responsible for the thefts: John Ethan Osbolt, 26, of Zebulon and Robert Kevin Chapman, 31, of Meansville.
Osbolt is charged with 3 counts of theft by taking and is being held in the Upson County Jail on $30,000 bond. Chapman remains in the Pike County Jail on other charges and will be charged with 3 counts of theft by taking in Upson County.
According to the Georgia Department of Corrections website, Kevin Chapman is currently on parole. He was serving 10 years concurrently for false imprisonment and aggravated assault from an incident committed in Pike County in late 2009. His incarceration began in January 5, 2011 and ended in being released on parole on December 16, 2015.
[End of added section]
A stolen Kamatsu excavator was recovered at a residence on Highway 109 after being stolen from Upson County. A GPS unit on the equipment was able to relay a location to Investigators before being destroyed. Also located on the property was a front end loader that had also been stolen in Upson County. A semi truck and trailer that had been previously stolen in Pike County was also recovered.
The pair are facing three counts of felony Theft by taking in Upson County. Additional charges in Pike County include felony theft by receiving, altering vin number and theft by receiving motor vehicle. Chapman already had an active arrest warrant for a Parole Violation.
In addition Jessica Towery, 32 years of age, was arrested for hindering the apprehension of a fugitive. Towery was hiding Chapman in an RV and lied to law enforcement about his whereabouts. A small amount of methamphetamine and marijuana was located in the RV to which both Towery and Chapman are being charged.
In all over $76,000 worth of stolen items were recovered and are being returned to their rightful owners. The investigation continues into other thefts that maybe attributed to these suspects.
Anyone that has purchased any equipment from Chapman or Osbolt should contact an investigator at 770-567-8431.
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