Sheriff continues search for Pleasant Ridge Baptist stolen items, thieves

Callaway County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle
Callaway County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle

Callaway County Sheriff Clay Chism said Monday his staff is continuing a "very active investigation" into last week's theft from the Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church construction site near Holts Summit.

"We've had investigators following up leads as recently as this (Monday) afternoon," Chism said. "No arrests have been made to this point. However, progress is being made on the case."

Chism encourages anyone with any information that might be related to contact the Sheriff's Office at 573-642-7291 or online at CallawaySheriff.org.

Tips also can be reported through CrimeStoppers at 573-592-2474.

"It may be that little piece of information that breaks the case wide open and leads to an arrest," the sheriff said.

Church officials said the stolen items include power tools, copper wire, an HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) system and miscellaneous construction materials.

The theft likely occurred Thursday night or Friday morning, Chism said, and was reported at 6:30 a.m. Friday.

The church currently is located on Route AA, about 2 miles east of Holts Summit. But the new building is going up along Platinum Road, which runs parallel to U.S. 54.

"It is just outside the city limits of Holts Summit," Chism noted. "The new site is highly visible from U.S. 54. Theoretically, that opens the door for many people to have seen a suspicious vehicle or suspicious activity at the building - so we're asking anybody who may have seen anything that looked odd or suspicious to please call us with that information."