Cape man accused of stealing rings during home remodeling

A Cape Girardeau man was arrested Thursday at a pawnshop on Class C felony charges of second-degree burglary and receiving stolen property in connection with a theft at a home he was helping to remodel, a Cape Girardeau County sheriff's deputy said.

Richard Kirkpatrick of 831 Wellington Drive in Cape Girardeau County reported the theft of four rings from his home Wednesday.

He also said a number of tools, including a circular saw, were missing from a barn on his property, according to a probable-cause statement filed in the case by sheriff's detective Cpl. James Malugen.

Kirkpatrick said he and his wife, Marjorie, discovered the rings missing from the top drawer of a bedroom dresser.

Kirkpatrick said "he had been having his home remodeled, which involved several construction workers traveling through his home and through his bedroom," Malugen wrote in the statement.

Kirkpatrick identified those working on the job, including project manager Eric Henry, Malugen said.

On Thursday, the detective used an "investigative computer tool known as Leads On Line," according to the statement. As a result, it was discovered Henry had pawned two 14K gold rings and a 10K gold ring at the Dash Pawn Shop at 336 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday, Malugen wrote.

Marjorie and Richard Kirkpatrick met the detective at the pawnshop and identified two of the pawned rings as theirs, according to the statement.

While there, Kirkpatrick received a telephone call from Henry. Kirkpatrick asked Henry to come to the pawnshop.

He did, and he was taken into custody, Malugen said.

Henry took Malugen to an alley near Independence Street and Henderson Avenue, where "a small baggie containing the two other missing rings" were found in ivy, according to the statement.

After being transported to the sheriff's department in Jackson, Henry admitted to stealing the rings, Malugen stated.

Henry also said he had stolen power tools from the Kirkpatricks' barn, Malugen wrote in the statement.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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