MISSOURI CITY, MO -
Investigators set up a mobile command post at a rural Clay County home on Wednesday as they deal with an "overwhelming" amount of allegedly stolen property strewn over two acres of land.
The Sheriff's Department is recommending the house on the property be condemned after codes enforcement officers said that the structure is not stable. As a result, investigators can only enter the house two at a time to sort the items inside.
On Tuesday, police took a man and a woman into custody and put them on a 24-hour hold, but police believe two other individuals may be involved in the major theft ring. An 8 or 9-year-old girl who lived at the home was taken to her grandparents, but DFS may get involved.
As for the stolen property, investigators said it will take four or five of them one full day to go through evidence in just one room of the house.
"There's no way to know what we'll pull out next," said Capt. Shauna Craven of the Clay County Sheriff's Department.
In addition to the six stolen cars recovered on Tuesday, investigators on Wednesday found cargo containers with stolen tires to expensive restaurant equipment inside.
"Machinery, John Deere light farming equipment, pick up trucks, passenger cars, commercial vehicles, compressors, chain saws," said Sheriff Bob Boydston. "[It] runs the gamut of stolen property."
According to a lawyer who is representing the property owner, the items found on the property are not stolen.
"The property on this land is not stolen," said attorney Larry Buccero. "It's his and some is stored for other people."
Buccero did not explain why the items were here, or why so many items were registered as stolen.
Boydston said his deputies will be on the property for day, if not a week or more. He said the variety and sheer volume of items require a methodical approach, photographing and logging the evidence.
At least six cars were towed off the property just to allow investigators room to work on Tuesday.
"We've gotten hits from Jefferson County Missouri, Bolivar, Johnson County, Independence, Kansas City and we really haven't scratched the surface yet," said Boydston.
Investigators said they were responding to reports of shots fired at a dog that was attacking a goat when they stumbled upon the property by chance. After getting a search warrant, the size of the investigation grew quickly, and Sheriff Boydston said he thinks many more people are involved.
"There's too wide a variety of merchandise to be considered a local group stealing from open garage doors," said Boydston. "This is something that is organized and pretty widespread."
At least one neighbor of the property says that she was glad to see authorities investigating the property. Robin, who asked that her last name not be identified, says that she knew something wasn't right, with all of the trailers and cars coming and going.
She says that she even confronted her neighbor about what was going on.
"I told her I was worried about it," said Robin. "We didn't like it, but they said it's from a business in Independence and they had to get it out of there, and no more would be moved in. And then six or seven more came."
Now Robin says she hopes something will be done about the dilapidated house on the property that she says brought nothing but trouble.
"Even in '93 it wasn't livable, and they had a child in that home," said Robin. "I hope they demolish it."
The Sheriff's Department is recommending the house on the property be condemned after codes enforcement officers said that the structure is not stable. As a result, investigators can only enter the house two at a time to sort the items inside.
On Tuesday, police took a man and a woman into custody and put them on a 24-hour hold, but police believe two other individuals may be involved in the major theft ring. An 8 or 9-year-old girl who lived at the home was taken to her grandparents, but DFS may get involved.
As for the stolen property, investigators said it will take four or five of them one full day to go through evidence in just one room of the house.
"There's no way to know what we'll pull out next," said Capt. Shauna Craven of the Clay County Sheriff's Department.
In addition to the six stolen cars recovered on Tuesday, investigators on Wednesday found cargo containers with stolen tires to expensive restaurant equipment inside.
"Machinery, John Deere light farming equipment, pick up trucks, passenger cars, commercial vehicles, compressors, chain saws," said Sheriff Bob Boydston. "[It] runs the gamut of stolen property."
According to a lawyer who is representing the property owner, the items found on the property are not stolen.
"The property on this land is not stolen," said attorney Larry Buccero. "It's his and some is stored for other people."
Buccero did not explain why the items were here, or why so many items were registered as stolen.
Boydston said his deputies will be on the property for day, if not a week or more. He said the variety and sheer volume of items require a methodical approach, photographing and logging the evidence.
At least six cars were towed off the property just to allow investigators room to work on Tuesday.
"We've gotten hits from Jefferson County Missouri, Bolivar, Johnson County, Independence, Kansas City and we really haven't scratched the surface yet," said Boydston.
Investigators said they were responding to reports of shots fired at a dog that was attacking a goat when they stumbled upon the property by chance. After getting a search warrant, the size of the investigation grew quickly, and Sheriff Boydston said he thinks many more people are involved.
"There's too wide a variety of merchandise to be considered a local group stealing from open garage doors," said Boydston. "This is something that is organized and pretty widespread."
At least one neighbor of the property says that she was glad to see authorities investigating the property. Robin, who asked that her last name not be identified, says that she knew something wasn't right, with all of the trailers and cars coming and going.
She says that she even confronted her neighbor about what was going on.
"I told her I was worried about it," said Robin. "We didn't like it, but they said it's from a business in Independence and they had to get it out of there, and no more would be moved in. And then six or seven more came."
Now Robin says she hopes something will be done about the dilapidated house on the property that she says brought nothing but trouble.
"Even in '93 it wasn't livable, and they had a child in that home," said Robin. "I hope they demolish it."
