Man arrested for theft at chicken farms

A Walnut Grove man has been arrested and charged in connection with the theft of materials and equipment from area chicken farms.

The man, Jerry Lee Higgins, 47, 300 Bob Drive Road, Walnut Grove, was arrested and charged with three counts of grand larceny, according to Neshoba County Sheriff Eric Clark.

Neshoba County Jail records show Higgins was brought in on Feb. 7 at 3:39 p.m.

Clark said Higgins was handed over to Leake County officials on Feb. 10 for similar charges. Clark said his office has also been contacted by Scott County regarding Higgins.

Clark said investigators connected Higgins to the theft of equipment and materials from several poultry farms in Neshoba County.

Higgins has been charged in connection with the theft of 300 sheets of tin used to cover chicken houses worth an estimated $19,000 taken from a farm on Road 266 in the Beatline community. This theft is believed to have occurred in January and was reported on Feb. 3.

Higgins is also suspected in several other incidents including a theft on Road 1129 in the Laurel Hill community in November in which $9,000 of materials and equipment were reported stolen. 

Another is said to have occurred on Road 2446 off of Highway 19 South in the Bethsaida community in December where $22,000 in materials and equipment were reported stolen.

“If you own a poultry farm and have suffered fraud or thefts to Mr. Higgins, contact your local sheriff’s office,” Clark said. “Mr. Higgins is known for thefts of metal roofing and other poultry items.”

Contact East Mississippi Crime Stoppers at (855) 485-TIPS or the NCSO at (601) 656-1414 if you have information about a crime.