CHILLICOTHE — Ross County deputies arrested two individuals after a series of pallet thefts at the Rural King store on North Bridge Street, resulting in thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise.
Officers were dispatched to Rural King, located at 1470 N Bridge St., on the evening of October 28 following a report of an active theft. Loss prevention staff reported that a gray Dodge pickup towing a trailer was leaving the store with a large number of wooden pallets. Deputies stopped the vehicle on US Highway 23 near State Route 207.
The driver was identified as Kevin L. Spires II of Columbus, Ohio. A front-seat passenger, Christine Williams, was released at the scene, while a rear-seat passenger, Jeffrey Alan Kirk Jr., was taken into custody due to an outstanding misdemeanor warrant from Franklin County.
Police determined that Spires and Kirk had loaded pallets on multiple occasions without permission. The investigation revealed that the stolen pallets, valued at approximately $5,844, had been taken between October 25 and October 28.
Spires was booked at the Ross County Jail on one count of felony theft and one count of misdemeanor theft. Kirk was also booked for one count of felony theft and one count of misdemeanor theft. The truck and trailer used in the thefts were impounded by authorities pending further legal proceedings.
Rural King estimates the pallets cost $14.99 each, and the store has been working with police to recover losses and provide video evidence of the incidents.
The Ross County Prosecutor’s Office will review all incidents for potential additional charges.
