Officials from the Union County Sheriff’s Office have called off the search for a group of suspected burglars in the southern portion of the county.
Sheriff Jamie Patton called off the search shortly before 2 p.m., Friday, citing “a lack of cooperation by the witness.”
“We don’t know who the suspects are, but we don’t have much to go on,” Patton said. “We are no longer searching the area.”
At approximately 8:50 a.m. Friday, a local man went to check on the property of a relative who was away. When the man arrived at the home in the 16000 block of Middleburg-Plain City Road, he saw several open doors.
“When he was closing the doors, someone ran out of the house,” Patton said.
The man called 911 and reported the man running from the home. When investigators arrived at the scene, the man told them he had seen as many as four men running through a field near the home. He said they were all males, wearing dark-colored clothes.
“That was all the description we were able to get from him,” Patton said. “That is all the description we have and all we can go on.”
The sheriff explained that his office has had, “other encounters with this individual and he wasn’t being cooperative with us.”
Patton said that based on the man’s lack of cooperation, his office completed a report and wrapped up the investigation.
“We really don’t have anywhere else to go unless we get some more information,” Patton said.
The sheriff said it can be frustrating when a witness does not want to work with investigators.
“When they don’t want to cooperate, we can’t force them,” Patton said. “You want to just say to them, ‘You are the victim, your family member here is the victim. Help us help you and keep the rest of the community safe.’”
Patton said he appreciates the public’s help and while the sheriff’s office is no longer actively searching the area, investigators still need assistance. Those who saw anything or have information about the alleged burglary are asked to call the sheriff’s office at (937) 645-4110.
He reminded residents that know the area better than police and know what doesn’t belong.
“We need people, if they see something suspicious, to give us a call,” Patton said.
He did say that at this point there is nothing to believe the incident was related to a gun store burglary 12 hours earlier in Plain City. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is handling that investigation.