In July 21 IssueA truck that was stolen from Branscum's Fruit Market on US 127 last Thursday morning was found late that night in Frankfort, according to Russell Springs Police Chief Joseph M. Irvin.
He said a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado, belonging to Brad Brown of Russell Springs, was stolen around 11 a.m. Thursday after Brown went inside Branscum's to get lunch.
After returning to the parking lot Brown noticed his truck was gone and called law enforcement to the scene.
In the subsequent investigation, officers with the RSPD and sheriff's office singled out a suspect in Travis Shane Blackburn, 27, of Frankfort after following several leads and conducting interviews.
Irvin said through some research he had discovered that Blackburn also has a lengthy criminal past.
Local officers made a request to Franklin County officials to attempt to find the stolen truck. They did so and after following several leads it led them to a home in Frankfort where Brown's truck was found. Blackburn was not at the residence.
Irvin said information from their leads indicated that Blackburn had left on foot from Second Chance Outreach, just south of Jamestown around 10 a.m. Thursday morning and was last seen walking U.S. 127 near Middletown.
Blackburn had left some of his personal items in the stolen truck, according to authorities, and a bank receipt and a few of Brown's items that had been pawned have also been found.
Irvin said the truck was back in Russell County around 2 a.m. Friday after local authorities went and retrieved it.
As of presstime, Blackburn still had not been arrested, according to Irvin, but he anticipated warrants to be sworn out any time.
Irvin said when Blackburn is apprehended he will likely face theft charges in Russell County as well as receiving stolen property charges in Franklin County.
