Arrest made in thefts at church, business
TERESA MULLINS / Staff Writer
April 23, 2008
A Haysi area man has been arrested for two thefts in the Bartlick area.
Michael “Bruce” Markum, 32, of Breaks Park Road, Haysi, is accused of breaking and entering the fellowship hall of Bartlick Old Regular Baptist Church on Feb. 22 and stealing the copper wire from the building.
He also stands accused of breaking and entering Haysi Heating and Cooling on March 5 and stealing more than $1,000 of copper piping.
According to the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office, charges against Markum include two counts of breaking and entering, two counts of grand larceny, unlawfully entering church property, two counts of destruction of property and one count of conspiracy to break and enter.
Markum appeared in Dickenson County General District Court yesterday. He waived a preliminary hearing and charges will be bound over to a grand jury, police said. Seth Baker is serving as Markum’s court-appointed attorney.
No other arrests have been made in connection with similar thefts that occurred in the same time frame. In addition to Bartlick Old Regular Baptist Church, two other churches were robbed the weekend of Feb. 22-24.
At Breaks Church of Christ, a sound system, microphones, microphone stands, speakers and speaker cable was taken. The thieves gained access to the church by forcing their way through a basement door, and the estimated value of items stolen from that church was around $2,200.
At Walnut Grove Holiness Church on Backbone Ridge near Haysi, perpetrators gained access to the church through a window and stole a sound system, speakers, microphones.
That same weekend, a car parked at Midway Chevron on Route 80 was vandalized. The windshield of the car was kicked in, police said.
In addition, an employee opening JDM Deli at Sandlick reported damage to the store's front door. Someone had attempted to kick in the door but failed to gain access to the building.
Also, door glass at Hair Works, a beauty shop located near JDM Deli, was broken out in a failed attempt to enter that business, police said.
Police ask that anyone with information regarding any of these crimes contact the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office at 276/926-1600.
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