Tecumseh woman charged in Bakersfield rental home burglary and theft of antiques

A warrant with a $1,500 cash-only bond has been issued for Nancy Blackburn, 60, of Tecumseh, in connection with a burglary of a rental property on Mullet Loop in Bakersfield earlier this year. 

According to the probable cause statement prepared by Ozark County Sheriff’s Deputy Cpl. Curtis Dobbs, the case began when Joe Divebliss reported that several items had been removed from a rental property he owns in Bakersfield.

Divebliss said he suspected Blackburn because she had previously pulled up to one of his structures at 50 Mullet Loop and then ran an extension cord from the residence to her van. When Divebliss became aware of Blackburn’s use of his property’s electricity, he told her to leave.

A witness had also reportedly seen Blackburn loading several items into her vehicle from a neighboring property. When the witness approached Blackburn, she reportedly refused to put the items back. 

These items, with their estimated value shown in parentheses, were reported missing: parts for a 1977 Chevy Concours ($400), large cast iron kettle ($250), old corn shucker ($85), an antique toy truck ($350), antique Mason jars ($400), glass-top coffee table ($100), yard cart ($50), a tub ($100), cast iron skillets ($300), oak headboard ($200), sheets of roofing tin ($100), large iron wheel ($250) and large antique crock bowls ($300). 

Dobbs wrote that officers gathered information indicating that Blackburn had reportedly sold 45 antique Mason jars to the Downtown Antique Store in West Plains. On Feb. 26, Dobbs went to Blackburn’s residence on Jerry Corp Lane in Tecumseh and asked if she’d removed the items from Divebliss’ rental home. She reportedly told the officer she hadn’t. Dobbs then asked if she had sold the antique jars to the West Plains store. She said she had sold the store some antique jars, but she said they did not come from Divebliss’ home, the report says.

Divebliss was able to view the jars at the antique store and confirmed that they were the ones that were taken from his home. 

Ozark County Times

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