Marshall police make quick work of catching church burglars
By: Nancy Cook
Updated: February 4, 2011
Late Thursday night, Marshall Police officers were dispatched to West Side Church of Christ to investigate a burglary alarm call.
At the church, officers found the church, along with a van belonging to the church, had been burglarized. Then, in checking a residence belonging to the church, a suspect was located still inside.
The suspect failed to give his correct name upon initial contact, but gave his correct name a short time later. The suspect was identified as Wesley Charles Hawkins of Marshall. He was
placed under arrest for burglary of a building and burglary of a vehicle; burglary of a residence; and failure to identify fugitive.
In addition, there was a Marshall Police Department warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia on Hawkins.
He was booked into Harrison County Sheriff’s Office jail and is being held on a total of $21,500 in bonds.
On the Thursday before - Jan. 27 - the Marshall police officers were dispatched to Clearview Baptist Church to investigate another reported burglary.
At the scene, the officers received a description of the suspect, as well as a description of the vehicle driven by the suspect and the number of the license plate on that vehicle.
After further investigation, a traffic stop was initiated on the described vehicle, and driver, Stephen Carey Shiflett, of Marshall was positively identified.
Shiflett was placed under arrest and booked into the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office jail for burglary of a building, a felony in Texas. Bond was set at $7,500. The investigation, however, is ongoing and other charges are pending against Shiflett.
