By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
An Atmore woman and her reported boyfriend are each free on $10,000 bond after their arrests on charges that they stole items valued at around $8,000 from a Century, Fla. storage barn last summer.
The primary suspect, 25-year-old Kelsey Alanna Taylor of a Canoe Road address, claims she was told she could take several pieces of property from the barn to replace her own property that was damaged by rain while stored there.
However, the complainant told officers she had not given Taylor or anyone else permission to remove items from the outbuilding.
Taylor is charged with one count each of felony larceny and felony burglary of an unoccupied building. She was arrested in Escambia County, Ala. on February 14 and held until February 18, when ECSO (Fla) authorities took custody of her. She made bond that same day.
Taylor and her partner in crime are accused of taking a 54-inch Grasshopper zero-turn mower, an air compressor, a shop fan and a string trimmer from the barn. Sheriff’s reports show that the items, which went missing in June 2021, were valued collectively at $8,000.
According to reports, the suspects denied taking the lawnmower. They admitted taking the fan, string trimmer and air compressor, but said they only did so after having been given permission. They sold the air compressor and shop fan to an area resident for $200, after he rejected their initial asking price of $300.
The man who bought the fan and compressor, after hearing that several mutual friends of his and Taylor’s had suffered recent theft losses, contacted one who identified the items as having been stolen from his property.
According to the Escambia County Jail, the second suspect, 23-year-old Cody Eugene McNeil of Atmore, was arrested February 25 and charged with felony burglary of an unoccupied structure and felony grand theft.
Like Taylor, McNeil was freed when $10,000 bond was posted on his behalf.