By Abigail Roberts
A welder that was allegedly stolen out of North Carolina and brought to Lincoln County, Kentucky has led to the arrest of two Waynesburg residents, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Christopher S. Bustle, 48, and Tonya L. Wilcher, 50, both of Waynesburg, were arrested by the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina on charges related to a stolen welder.
According to the arrest warrant, LCSO Chief Deputy Michael Mullins was contacted by the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 6 in reference to a stolen welder that was located in Lincoln County.
Bustle was interviewed by detectives in North Carolina where he allegedly admitted to unlawfully removing the welder from a job site and bringing it back to Kentucky.
“He told detectives that the welder was at his residence on Granville Jenkins Road,” the warrant states. “I went to the residence, where I found the welder in the front yard.”
The welder was valued at approximately $22,000.
The serial numbers had been removed but law enforcement was able to confirm it was stolen using the engine serial numbers.
“The UR decals were removed from the welder,” the warrant states.
Bustle allegedly admitted to detectives he was going to return the welder once he was done.
“…However, he did not ask permission or tell anyone that he had it,” the warrant states.
Bustle was charged with receiving stolen property ($10,000 or more); destruction of VIN number; tampering with physical evidence; obscuring the identity of a machine; and criminal mischief.
Wilcher was also arrested on the same charges.
“Above (Wilcher) admitted to detectives that she had knowledge of the welder being stolen after she put two and two together,” the warrant states. “Above (Wilcher) also admitted to riding back to KY with Bustle.”
The truck used to transport the welder back to Kentucky was registered to Wilcher and located at the residence.
Both Bustle and Wilcher are being held on felony charges in the Yancey County Jail in North Carolina.
Chief Deputy Mullins said warrants have been filed in Lincoln County as well and the two will be extradited back to Kentucky once they are done with the charges in North Carolina.
Mullins was assisted in the investigation by Deputy Logan Smith.
