Man arrested for breaking into fire station
A Preston man was arrested and charged in connection with an April burglary report at the North Bend Volunteer Fire Department.
Blake Jenkins, 28, 16460 Highway 21 North, Preston, was arrested and charged with burglary of a commercial building, according to Neshoba County Sheriff Eric Clark.
The investigation began on April 8, when representatives of the North Bend VFD reported a battery charger had been stolen from a vehicle at their fire station on Highway 21 North, Clark said.
Clark said damage was reported to one of their roll-up doors and the vehicle the battery chargers were kept in.
In early July investigators learned that a battery charger matching the description was seen at a house near the station. Sheriff’s deputies went to the property on July 8 and found a battery charger matching the description of the stolen one with “NBVFD” etched into it.
Clark said he believes Jenkins was staying at the house at the time the burglary occurred.
That day, Clark said the investigation was informed that Jenkins was in custody in Winston County for a burglary. Deputies subsequently questioned Jenkins at the Winston County Jail on July 12.
According to Clark, Jenkins said he had taken the charger to charge his vehicle and had intended to return it, but the charger stopped working while he was using it, so he was afraid to return it.
Jenkins was brought into local custody on Aug. 9.
Clark said Jenkins likely did $800 in damage to the roll-up door at the fire station, and the charger was worth another $400.
Jenkins remains in the Neshoba County Detention Center on a $10,000 bond.