Burglary investigations lead to five arrests

WHITESBURG, Kentucky — After a Letcher County property suffered repeated break-ins over a two-month period, the owner installed a trail camera. As a result, five people were arrested Sunday in connection with the incidents.

The property owner contacted Kentucky State Police about the break-ins, which resulted in the theft of a pickup truck, an ATV, and numerous other items. He then showed a trooper trail camera footage that showed several people taking items from the property.

The officer recognized two of the people in the images as David Bowling, 48, and Jessica Wells, 40, who live in a mobile home on Harold Dixon Cemetery Road. The officer went to the mobile home, where he found several of the stolen items, but Bowling and Wells were not there.

He then went to another house, where the owner said more items were found. At that location, police found more items as well as Bowling, Wells and three other people.

Bowling, Wells and Joshua Maggard, 40, of Blackey, admitted to police that they took items from the property. They were arrested and charged with second-degree burglary.

The residents of the house – Robert Hollon, 55, and Paxton Madden, 63 – were also arrested and charged with receiving stolen goods.