Wanda English Burnett, Editor

A two-day crime spree last week has landed a Batesville student in a juvenile detention center facing multiple felony charges.

After a bomb threat was made to the Batesville Middle School last Tuesday, September 4, police began an investigation that led them to a 17-year-old male.

According to information from Batesville Police Chief Stan Holt, the teenager had called in the bomb threat so police were able to trace the call to the male, who is a student at Batesville High School. Officers from the Batesville Police Department were assisted by the Ripley County Sheriff’s Department and Ripley County Communications Center.

Police say that same student continued the pattern of criminal behavior by attempting to steal a vehicle from the Kroger parking lot on Wednesday, September 5. About 9:15 a.m. police received a call that someone had stolen a car and drove it a short distance through the parking lot, then left it. The victim reported to Lt. Jeff Thielking that her cell phone had been stolen from her vehicle.

About 1:30 p.m. that same day, officers were called to Bedel’s Marathon in Batesville for a report of another stolen vehicle. A witness told police the suspect was seen entering the library. Lt. Derek Yarber of the Batesville Police Department located the suspect inside the library and he was taken into custody. He was identified as the same male who called in the bomb threat on Tuesday.

Chief Holt noted that after the 17-year-old was questioned, he admitted he had called in the bomb threat, attempted to steal a car at Kroger’s and stole a car from Bedel’s.

The suspect is being held in the Dearborn County Juvenile Center in Lawrenceburg and is facing felony charges of auto theft, attempted auto theft and theft. He was arrested for false informing.
Detective Mike Benjamin of the Batesville Police Department is the lead investigating officer on the case. He will forward information to Ripley County Prosecutor Ric Hertel to review for formal criminal charges.