Theodosia man charged with burglary of storage shed and theft of over $10k in items

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Jesse Pickel, 25, of Theodosia, in connection with the Aug. 13 break-in of a Gainesville storage unit rented by Andrew Wayne and Megyn Adam and the theft of more than  $10,000 worth of possessions inside. 

Pickel is charged with second-degree burglary and stealing ($750 or more) in the case. If convicted, he could spend up to four years in prison for each of the two class D felony charges.

Public defender Lauren Kate Welborn has entered her appearance as Pickel’s lawyer. 

Pickel is currently being held in the Douglas County Jail in an unrelated case.

Lock gone, items missing

According to the probable cause statement prepared by Ozark County Sheriff’s Deputy Cpl. Curtis Dobbs, the burglary was reported Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Landers Storage Units at Highway 5 north and County Road 109.

Dobbs reportedly met with Megyn Adam, who told the officer she’d been to the storage unit three days before, and everything was secure. However, when she went to the storage unit that morning, she said, the lock was missing and several items had been removed. 

Adam provided Dobbs with a detailed list of the items that had been stolen. They included an estimated $10,000 worth of coins; gold jewelry; a Springfield M1A1 rifle, multiple magazines and ammunition; a fly fishing rod, reels and tackle; a large toolbox filled with various tools; a chainsaw, air compressor, several various saws; construction supplies; a Yeti cooler; gas cans; a Dell computer; pots and pans and other kitchen supplies and several more items.

A trespassing incident leads to the stolen items

Two days later, at 7:41 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, Ozark County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to 690 County Road 643B in Gainesville after the owner of the home reportedly found that Pickel had been living in the home without permission.

The owner allowed the deputies to enter the home to investigate and reportedly told the officers she had found several items in the home’s garage that did not belong to her. 

The deputies who responded took photographs of the items and sent them to Dobbs, who then forwarded them to the Adamses. The couple identified several items as things that had been stolen from their storage shed. 

Some of the recovered items included coins, a toolbox, a Yeti cooler and the air compressor. 

An arrest and a confession

The homeowner called the sheriff’s department on Aug. 24, nine days after she filed the trespassing report, and told a dispatcher that Pickel had returned to the home on County Road 643B. Dobbs responded and found Pickel in the front yard. He was arrested on an outstanding warrant in an unrelated case and was transported to the sheriff’s office for processing. 

Dobbs interviewed Pickel two days later, and the defendant reportedly admitted to unlawfully removing the lock from the storage unit, entering and removing the Adams’ belongings. He also reportedly told Dobbs that he had burglarized another storage unit in Mansfield, where he had worked with another person to remove a washer and dryer. The appliances were found at the home on County Road 643B. He told the officer he’d had a key to the home on 643B and believed he had permission to be there. 

A lengthy criminal history

The current case is not Pickel’s first run-in with law enforcement officers. In the eight years since he became an adult, Pickel has pleaded guilty to 10 burglaries, six thefts and possession of a controlled substance within the 44th Judicial Circuit, which comprises Ozark, Douglas and Wright Counties.

He also has an open case in Douglas County, where he is currently charged with possession of a controlled substance. That case was filed Aug. 26.