Jefferson City man charged in multiple theft cases

A Jefferson City man is facing numerous charges in connection with multiple theft cases.

Brice Walther, 32, is charged with three counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of stealing a firearm, one count of tampering with evidence and one count of felony stealing.

An investigation into Walther began Oct. 9 after deputies stopped a car with Christopher Council, 27, and Kimberly Prater, 27, both of Linn, inside, according to Cole County Sheriff's Department probable cause statements. The two had items taken from three burglaries they had committed that day at homes on Route D, Loesch Road and Buffalo Road. They took a large quantity of jewelry, coins, U.S. currency and foreign currency, a Dell laptop, a BB gun pistol, and a wooden jewelry box. Council and Prater admitted to committing these burglaries and were later formally charged.

During interviews with investigators, Council and Prater said prior to committing the burglaries they had been at an apartment on Cassidy Road with Brice Walther, where they planned to break into homes and steal items. Council and Prater said Walther agreed to take part in the thefts and drove them to the homes.

Council and Prater said Walther contacted them while they were inside and told them what to take; when they were done, Walther would come and pick them up. Records from Prater's cellphone showed there were multiple calls with Walther corresponding to the times the burglaries occurred.

Some items taken from the Loesch Road burglary were found in nearby woods, while other items were found in a dumpster at the apartment complex on Cassidy Road.

Authorities later seized a vehicle Walther had driven to the burglary on Route D. The jewelry box taken in that burglary was found in the car, and in the box investigators found Walther's driver's license and debit card.

Council made a call Oct. 10 to Walther from the Cole County Jail. Phone calls in the jail are monitored, and during their conversation Walther asked Council who was getting the gun charge. Authorities noted in their reports that neither Council nor Prater were allowed to place any calls for a long time and at no time had either told anyone two guns had been stolen in these break-ins.