GALLIPOLIS — A Gallipolis man who was pursued by a Gallia County homeowner after he was allegedly caught stealing items from her home on Tuesday afternoon is facing felony theft charges.
Brandon M. Harrison, 20, was arraigned on Wednesday in the Gallipolis Municipal Court and charged with one count of felony theft and one count of misdemeanor criminal trespassing.
According to the complaint filed with the municipal court and signed by Sheriff Joe Browning, Gallia County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Cargo Road in the southern portion of the county on Tuesday at approximately 3:30 p.m. in reference to a theft after the resident of the home reportedly walked outside of her residence to find someone loading a truck with items located on the property.
The homeowner reported that the truck was located near a field where she and her husband keep steel items, and, after observing an individual loading the items into the back of a pickup truck, she reportedly drove to the location in an attempt to block the vehicle in.
However, the individual entered the truck and left the area at a high rate of speed.
The resident reportedly chased the vehicle but lost sight of the truck on Teens Run Road.
The victim then reportedly called her husband who subsequently intercepted the suspect, later identified as Brandon M. Harrison, at L&L Scrap Metal in Gallipolis.
Deputies later responded to the scrap yard to find the victim along with the suspect, who reportedly still had stolen property in the back of his truck.
Harrison was arrested, and the vehicle was inventoried and towed from the scene.
The complaint further outlines several of the items allegedly stolen by the defendant, including trailer axles, steel pipes, truck rims, steel rods, cables and steel fence posts, property valued at over $1,000 but less than $7,500.
During an arraignment hearing on Wednesday in the municipal court, Harrison’s bond was set at $25,000, 10 percent.
A preliminary hearing in regard to his felony theft charge has been scheduled for May 14. A court pretrial in regard to the charge of criminal trespassing has also been scheduled for May 14 in the municipal court.
The defendant is currently being held in the Gallia County Jail.
Harrison’s arrest marks the second theft-related incident in less than a week in which Gallia County residents have intervened to stop alleged criminals in the act.
At approximately 1 a.m. on Friday morning, May 3, deputies were called to a residence on Ohio 7 South in Ohio Township in reference to a burglar who was being held at gunpoint by the homeowner.
Nathan S. Unroe, 26, Crown City, who was identified as the suspect in this case, had allegedly been encountered in the home by the resident who held him at gunpoint until deputies could arrive.
Reportedly, the suspect was allegedly in the process of burglarizing the residence with the intent of stealing prescription medication.
Unroe was present in court on Monday and charged with one count of burglary. A preliminary hearing in this case will be held on Friday in the municipal court.
Unroe is also currently being held in the Gallia County Jail.
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