STUART, VA (BTW21) — Four individuals were arrested Monday after a breaking and entering incident at a residence in the Concord Church area of Patrick County, according to Sheriff Dan Smith.
The sheriff’s office responded to a call from a utility company at approximately 12:30 PM, reporting an ongoing burglary at the location.
Upon arriving at the scene, Sheriff Smith and Major Rob Coleman found an open window and door, signaling a forced entry into the residence.
Inside, the home had been ransacked. Authorities quickly learned that utility workers, who had arrived at the property, had witnessed the suspects in the act of burglarizing the home.
One of the suspects allegedly pointed a rifle at one of the workers, adding a dangerous element to the crime.
Following a brief investigation, the four suspects were located at a nearby property on Russell Creek Lane.
They were arrested without incident, and much of the stolen property was recovered.
The suspects arrested include:
Tyler Benjamin Brockney, 24, of 923 Palmetto School Road, Stuart. He faces charges of Breaking and Entering, Conspiracy to Commit Breaking and Entering, Petit Larceny, Destruction of Property, and two counts of Brandishing a Firearm.
Joseph Brooks Iddings, 41, of 642 Russell Creek Lane, Stuart. Iddings is charged with Breaking and Entering, Conspiracy to Commit Breaking and Entering, Petit Larceny, and Destruction of Property.
Joyce Lynn Charles, 41, of 645 Martin Farm Road, was arrested on charges of Breaking and Entering, Conspiracy to Commit Breaking and Entering, Petit Larceny, and Destruction of Property.
Amanda Johnson Prillaman, 38, of 642 Russell Creek Lane. She faces the same charges as the others: Breaking and Entering, Conspiracy to Commit Breaking and Entering, Petit Larceny, and Destruction of Property.
Sheriff Smith praised the swift action of law enforcement officers in apprehending the suspects. Investigator Jason Kruse is currently leading the investigation.
As of the latest update, Brockney, Iddings, and Charles are being held without bond in the Patrick County Jail. Prillaman, however, was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.
The case remains under investigation, and authorities are continuing to work to determine the full extent of the stolen property and to gather additional details surrounding the crime.