PLATTE CITY, Mo. — Police got a report of a home burglary, but they say it was just the second stop of a detailed plan two teens put together. Police say the first stop was a thrift store where they drew some attention to themselves.
“We had identified a couple of young men, teenagers, that had full backpacks in the store and were walking around. They had some suspicious behavior about them,” said Lou Warner, the General Manager of Hillcrest Thrift Shop in Platte City. “They (police) were trying to somewhat follow them and they just seemingly disappeared.”
“They were convinced they were still in the store, so they looked everywhere in the store and could not find them,” he added.
Last Saturday night police got called to the 400 block of Wells Drive in Platte City.
“While the officers were there, an individual called up and said that she had found some property behind her residence a couple blocks away,” said Officer Michael Reilly, “Most of the property that was there was from our burglary that we were investigating.”
Officer Reilly said one officer recognized some of the items belonged to the thrift store, and said it looks like the store workers suspicions were spot on.
“They went ahead and locked up that evening, and then later that night we got the call that they had hidden in the store,” Warner said.
Police say a 14 and 15-year-old took some jewelry and other items from each location. Police have recovered those stolen items, but that’s not all police found.
“They had a map and some paperwork describing how they were going to do all these things and apparently starting at the thrift store that night,” said Warner.
“We’ve seen before where they made out plans, but never brought it with them,” said officer Reilly, “They had the house circled on the map, even had pictures showing how they were going to break into the house.”
Warner said Hillcrest is a transitional housing ministry for the homeless. The store is its funding stream.
“I’d like to see them serve the families that we’re trying to support, because that’s who they really stole from,” Wagner said.
The two boys were arrested and turned over to juvenile authorities. They’ll be arraigned in February.
