HIGHLAND COUNTY, OH — A Hillsboro man is facing a series of felony charges following a May 15 burglary in New Market Township that led Highland County deputies to a trove of stolen items and a dramatic arrest.
Deputies with the Highland County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 3700 block of Alexander Lane after a resident reported that a safe, firearms, and other personal property had been stolen. Investigators followed drag marks from the home down a nearby road, eventually leading to a residence on State Route 247 near Walker Road in Washington Township.
A search warrant was obtained for the SR 247 property, where deputies located an ATV believed to have been used to drag the safe, along with parts of the safe itself. Additional stolen property was found in a small cabin on the property.
The suspect, Gregory S. Martin, 54, of Hillsboro, was identified and apprehended with assistance from the Hillsboro Police Department. He was already wanted on outstanding felony warrants. Following his arrest, new information led detectives to the stolen safe in another section of the property.
Martin is currently being held in the Highland County Justice Center and is now facing nine felony charges in connection with the burglary and related offenses:
- Possession of Drugs (Schedule I or II substance) – 5th-degree felony – $5,000 bail
- Possession of a Fentanyl-Related Compound – 4th-degree felony – bail not listed
- Safecracking – two counts – 4th-degree felony – one count carries $7,500 bail
- Theft – two counts – 4th- and 3rd-degree felonies – one count carries $15,000 bail
- Burglary (Trespass in Occupied Structure, Separate Offense) – two counts – 2nd-degree felony – one count with $20,000 bail, the other with $15,000 bail
No court dates have been scheduled as of yet. Additional charges related to the burglary are pending, authorities said.
