Murfin's Market Sustains Heavy Damage In Burglary:

A brazen burglar broke into Murfin's Market in Marionville with a tree trimming truck early this morning and ripped the safe out of the front of the store.

Marionville Police Chief Mark Webb says, "The front of the store looks like it exploded."

Webb says that someone stole a bucket truck from Wright tree trimming service and disabled the GPS tracking unit on it. Webb says that the thief backed up to the store then rammed the bucket part of the truck through a plate glass window.

The store's surveillance video isn't going to be of much help to investigators according to the chief. Webb says a passerby called 9-1-1 shortly before 5:30 a.m. but there weren't any cops on duty in Marionville at the time. Lawrence County dispatched two police officers from Aurora. They arrived on scene at 5:32 a.m.

Webb says the suspect had dragged the safe around the back of the store and was attempting to open it when the cops got there. "He jumped back in the truck and rammed one of the cruisers sending it spinning into the other officers car. Took 'em both out."

Then the truck literally tore through a neighboring apartment complex. "Tore up landscaping, banisters, hit the corner of a couple of the buildings," says Webb.

Webb says that officers thought they would catch up with the suspect on Highway 60 but the guy drove the truck through an apartment complex before he bailed out and fled on foot.

"It had just started snowing and they were able to follow some footprints up to the woods, then they lost them." according to Webb.

Webb says they are looking for a stocky man, about 5'11" to 6'1".

Neither officer was hurt in the incident according to Webb.

Press Release by the City of Aurora Police Department

1-29-2010

At approximately 0526 hours, 01-29-2010, the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department reqeusted assistance from the Aurora Police Department to investigate a burglary in progress at Murfin's Market in Marionville.

Two Aurora officers responded, arriving on scene at about 0532 hours. Officers drove to the back of the building, where they saw a tree-trimming bucket truck with a safe hanging from the bucket.

Upon seeing the patrol cars, the driver of the truck accelerated toward the patrol cars, striking one of them directly. The second patrol car also sustained minor damage. Neithe officer was injured. The driver of the truck fled the scene.

The truck was found abandoned a short time later. The suspect fled on foot, with the tracks in the snow leading in a southerly direction from the truck. Officers and Sheriff's deputies followed the tracks until the still-falling snow completely obscured them. It was learned the truck was stolen earlier from a location in Marionville. The investigation is on-going.

Pat Jenkins Capt.

Aurora PD