Stolen Pickup Found After Bizarre Series of Events

La Grange Police recovered a stolen pickup following a bizarre series of events on Monday, Sept. 16.

Police Chief David Gilbreath said officers took a call around 11:15 a.m. Monday reporting a stolen pickup at the National Bank and Trust drive-through on Colorado St.

The owner told officers he parked his black 2016 GMC Denali crew cab at the curb and walked into the lobby. He left the keys inside the pickup with the engine running, Gilbreath said.

Witnesses saw a Hispanic female get inside the truck and drive away. The owner reported that the bed was loaded with tools, extension cords and other equipment.

Then around 2 p.m., Gilbreath said the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office took a call about someone trying to start a fire at the dead end of Voss Rd. at the top of the Bluff. A deputy responded and found a pile of tools and extension cords on fire, but no one was around other than the neighbors who called in the fire.

“I don’t know what they were trying to do,” Gilbreath said.

Gilbreath said the victim later identified the burned property and said it came from his pickup.

“Right after that someone called and said the truck was at Leopard Car Wash,” Gilbreath said.

La Grange officers responded. They located the pickup parked behind the residence just east of the scene of the crime at the National Bank and Trust drive-through.

“A suspect walked out of the residence and gave the key to Officer Brett Meinardus,” Gilbreath said.

Officers arrested two suspects at the scene for felony theft: 21-year-old Sky Garcia and 25-year-old Jayden Skylar-Lamont Desaedeleer. Gilbreath said both suspects recently moved to La Grange from Mississippi.

La Grange Officers Brett Meinardus, Mitchell Maxwell and Noah Geer investigated the case. Gilbreath thanked the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office for assisting as well.