BURKEVILLE, Texas — The Newton County Sheriff’s Office is releasing pictures of the suspects who deputies say tried to break into an ATM at Sabine State Bank on Monday morning.
Officials have one man in custody and are continuing to search for the second man. The suspect on the run is believed to be about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs around 200 pounds, deputies say.
The bank is located off Highway 63 near Burkeville. When deputies got there, two men took off in a Honda. One suspect was wearing a ski mask and the other was seen without a mask.
About two miles away on County Road 2121, the men ditched the car and ran into the woods. Officers arrested one suspect, 38-year-old Billy Adams. He was arraigned Tuesday and charged with theft of property. He is booked in the Newton County Jail on a $75,000 bond.
Officials believe the wanted suspect is responsible for the theft of a gray 2017 Ford pickup truck with a Louisiana license plate number C0549061. The truck was stolen in the immediate area where the suspects were last seen fleeing into the woods on Highway 692, according to a Newton County Sheriff's Office news release.
Newton County sheriff's deputies want people to keep an eye out for anyone suspicious who is walking in the area. Anyone with information can call the Newton County Sheriff's Office at (409) 379-3636.
GET NEWS & WEATHER ALERTS | Download the 12News App to your mobile device
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
Full Newton County Sheriff's Office news release...
At 0540 hours, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a theft of an ATM machine in Burkeville. A passing motorist observed a small compact vehicle attempt to pull the ATM machine at the Sabine State Bank off it stand.
They damaged the ATM and fled the parking lot on Hwy 63 and turned north on FM 692 toward RE 255. The vehicle was accompanied by two white males, one wearing a ski mask, and the other was observed without a mask.
The caller advised that the vehicle came to a stop on a bridge just past CR 2121. They exited the vehicle and fled on foot into the woods.
NCSO personnel accompanied by Constable S. White secured the scene until the K9 Officer, NCSO Deputy S. Cathy arrived with K9 Bruce. Sheriff Burby, Deputies Cathy and McGarrahan entered the wooded area on the east side of FM 692 at the McGraw Greek bridge and conducted a search of the area. Officers from the Parks and Wildlife and the Constable Office remained on the roadways in case the suspects come back on to the roadway. During the search in the wooded area, K9 Bruce located one of the suspect’s sneakers.
We received another report that two individuals fitting the descriptions of the suspects were observed at CR 2121 stealing a 2017 Ford Pickup Truck (TX Lic.# C549061). The owner stated that one suspect fled on foot and the other drove off in the pickup truck. One suspect was said to have slim build wearing a green shirt with the word “GRIFFIN” on the back wearing dark shorts, with “tear drop” tattoos under both eyes.
The other suspect was believed to be about 5’9 weighting around 200 pounds. The search was moved further north. A report was received that they one of the possible suspects was seen near the oil field pump on FM 692 north, asking a resident for directions to town.
At 0902 hours, we received a report that a suspicious looking individual was walking along the roadway near the oil field on FM 692 north. Deputy Cathy went to the scene and contacted and detained suspect who was wearing the green shirt and dark shorts for further investigations and transported to NCSO Jail.
The Texas Rangers are participating in this investigation. Anyone with information regarding this case should contact the NCSO at (409)379-3636 or 3637.
