Alleged bicycle thief attempts steak theft

Published 5:44 pm Thursday, July 11, 2019

A Virginia man stole a firefighter’s t-shirt to conceal his identity and is facing several charges of theft. Jerry Robinson, 49, of Galax, Va. remains in the Bell County Detention Center with no bond.

Robinson is charged with theft by unlawful taking (bicycles) under $500, theft by unlawful taking, second-degree fleeing or evading police (on foot), resisting arrest, second-degree disorderly conduct, no lights on bicycle and riding a bicycle on the sidewalk.

Additionally, Robinson was charged by Pineville Police Officer Brandon Hollingsworth with second-degree fleeing or evading, theft by unlawful taking under $500, second-degree disorderly conduct, and first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer.

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Robinson was caught on two occasions with bicycles that didn’t belong to him. The first incident occurred in Pineville and the second in Middlesboro.

After the attempt of theft of the bicycle in Pineville, Robinson was seen on camera inside Long’s Pic Pac grocery attempting to steal 18 packs of steaks from the business. He was chased from the store and the steaks were retrieved.

Officer Hollingsworth detained Robinson and took him to the Bell County Detention Center. Shortly after his release, Robinson attempted the same type of bicycle theft in Middlesboro.

Middlesboro Police Officer Michael Bradley spotted Robinson fleeing from the scene, where he had been allegedly trying to remove items from a Glennwood Park Road home.

Robinson refused to stop for Bradley, but the officer was assisted by Middlesboro Police Chief Tom Busic and officer Robin Venable. He was apprehended on the corner of 14th Street and Cumberland Avenue. He continued to resist arrest but was restrained and then taken to the Bell County Detention Center.

There is no bond listed on any of Robinson’s charges.