CARROLL COUNTY — Two Kilmichael residents have been arrested in connection with a home burglary in Carroll County after a neighbor reported a suspicious vehicle, leading deputies to recover some of the stolen firearms.
Alicia Michelle Leach, 54, and Howard William Lockhart Jr., 31, both of Kilmichael, are charged with burglary of a dwelling following an investigation involving the Carroll and Montgomery county sheriff’s departments.
According to Carroll County Sheriff Clint Walker, deputies responded Oct. 12 to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the Teoc community. When deputies arrived, they spoke with the caller, who identified two people who had been in the vehicle.
Later, a resident on County Road 111, near where the vehicle had been spotted, reported that someone had broken into his home and stolen five firearms and $100 in cash.
Investigators identified two suspects and alerted the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department to watch for them and their vehicle.
Montgomery County deputies later located the suspects in Kilmichael. With approval from both sheriffs, Carroll County deputies went to the home of one suspect’s father, where the homeowner gave permission for deputies to search the residence.
Both suspects were found inside.
Leach was arrested and booked into the Grenada County Jail on a charge of burglary of a dwelling.
Following further investigation, Lockhart was arrested and booked into the Carroll County Regional Correctional Facility on the same charge. His bond was set at $20,000.
Investigators later recovered some of the stolen firearms from an abandoned structure in Kilmichael.
Walker credited the arrests and recovery of stolen property to the neighbor who reported the suspicious activity and cooperation between the two sheriff’s departments.
“From the neighbor watching over his neighbor’s home and reporting suspicious activity, to the cooperation between our Deputies and Montgomery County Deputies, these arrests were made and stolen property recovered through teamwork and dedication,” Walker said.
He thanked the neighbor, Carroll County deputies and Montgomery County Sheriff Tompkins and his department for their assistance.
“The residents and citizens of Carroll County work hard and we won’t tolerate thieves breaking in to steal from them,” Walker said.
Both suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
