On Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, the New York State Police in Owego, N.Y. reported the arrest of four suspects for stealing over $118,000 worth of electronics from trailers at the Best Buy Warehouse parking lot in the Town of Nichols, N.Y.

According to police, the investigation began just before midnight on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, when Tioga County Emergency 911 received a report of a suspicious van in the parking lot of the Best Buy warehouse. Patrols responded to the scene and observed a full size van traveling slowly on Berry Road behind the Best Buy warehouse.

The report further described that troopers attempted to initiate a traffic stop and the van sped off. A short distance away the van stopped and the driver fled on foot into a wooded area.

A large quantity of laptops and camcorders were recovered from inside the van. In addition, a large quantity of electronics including laptops and camcorders were located next to the roadway behind the warehouse.

A search was commenced by patrols with the assistance of the New York State Police and Owego Police Department K-9’s and New York State Police Aviation.

A tip led to two suspects being taken into custody shortly before 7 a.m. at the Lounsberry Truck Stop in Nichols, N.Y. Interviews of the suspects revealed they traveled to the area from Chicago, Illinois with the purpose of stealing electronics from Best Buy. Two other suspects were taken into custody later in the day at the Bus Station in the City of Binghamton, N.Y.

The following were arrested for the class “C” Felony of Grand Larceny 2nd degree: Lance L. Degraffenreid, age 24 of Burnham, Illinois; Devonte J. Henry, age 19 of Chicago, Illinois; Roland J. Jackson, age 35 of Beloit, Wisconsin; and Ricky A. Pearson, age 24 of Chicago, Illinois.

All four suspects were arraigned in the Town of Nichols Court and remanded to the Tioga County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. The Tioga County Sheriff’s Department and the Owego Police Department assisted with the investigation. The investigation is continuing.