Stolen Side-by-Sides
Sheriff’s office recovers 8 all-terrain vehicles
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A four-wheeler that was stolen from Elkins Motorsports Monday morning was recovered inside a barn Tuesday afternoon.
ELKINS -- Police on Tuesday located the eight all-terrain vehicles that were reported stolen from an Elkins business Monday morning.
The Randolph County Sheriff's Office said that at approximately 4:30 a.m. Monday, suspects cut the lock off a gate at Elkins Motorsports and made away with seven side-by-sides and one ATV four-wheeler, all of which were recovered on Tuesday.
The suspects drove the vehicles from the businesses and were seen by several witnesses doing so, Sheriff Rob Elbon told The Inter-Mountain..
"We had citizens report seeing them drive the vehicles right down the five-lane," Elbon said. "And we had video surveillance from a business to back up those claims."
Elbon said the stolen vehicles were recovered by the RCSO throughout the day on Tuesday. The first find for the officers came around lunchtime when a side-by-side was located underneath some brush in a wooded area close to Isner Creek Road.
Approximately three hours later, deputies located three more side-by-sides and an ATV four-wheeler in a barn in the same area where the first vehicle was found.
"The keys were missing in three of the four that we found in the barn," Elbon said. "The lone one they took the keys out of was a side-by-side worth close to $30,000. So right now we're not exactly sure what their intentions were."
An hour after finding the stolen vehicles in the barn, Elbon said deputies located the final three vehicles that were reported stolen. They were found at an undisclosed location, and Elbon said removing them was going to take some time.
"We found the rest of the missing vehicles around 3:30 p.m. and they're back in the woods pretty good," Elbon said. "One of our guys got a tip on the location of the last three and they were found at the spot we were told. One of the side-by-sides was turned over and it's going to take us a good part of the night to get them all out of there."
Elbon said the RCSD was alerted to the Isner Creek area, where the vehicles were found after a concerned citizen called in upon seeing some suspicious activity. Soon after the call, deputies located a truck in the area that had been reported stolen out of Pennsylvania.
The sheriff said he is unsure if the truck is related to the Elkins Motorsports theft, but noted the investigation is ongoing. The RCSO asks if anyone has information on the crime to call 911.
"We appreciate any help we get from the public," Elbon said. "Someone paying attention and seeing something that wasn't right on Monday, really helped us with the investigation."