Employees arraigned in robbery of Poplar Bluff CiCi's

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Two Butler County teenagers were arraigned Monday morning on charges they burglarized CiCi's Pizza, where both were employees, and allegedly stole a large amount of quarters.

Kegan Lee Crum, 18, of Wappapello, Mo., and Jeremy Jacob Mesey, 18, of Qulin, Mo., were formally arraigned on second-degree burglary before Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth, who reduced their bonds to $4,500 at the request of their public defenders.

Bloodworth set their preliminary hearings for July 28.

The complaints filed by Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Bill Gresham alleged Crum and Mesey unlawfully entered the restaurant at 979 N. Westwood Blvd. with the intent of stealing the money.

The charges against Crum and Mesey stem from an investigation by the Poplar Bluff Police Department.

Steve Brasswell, owner of CiCi's Pizza in the Valley Plaza Shopping Center, reported a "burglary, in which someone had broken into the store through a wall in the rear of the building and damaged all the game machines and change machines, stealing the quarters and cash from them," Detective Greg Brainard said in his probable-cause affidavit on file with the court.

Video footage, Brainard said, was obtained of several people allegedly cashing in more than $600 in quarters Wednesday night at the Wal-Mart in Kennett, Mo.

"Two of the suspects in the video were identified as employees of the CiCi's store where the burglary occurred," Brainard said.

Crum and Mesey were arrested at 6:10 p.m. Saturday at CiCi's and taken to the Butler County Justice Center, where Brainard interviewed them after telling each of his rights.

"Both gave verbal and written statements admitting to the CiCi's burglary," Brainard said.

The pair, he said, also were "wearing shoes that matched the shoe impressions found in the rear wall, where the burglars entered the CiCi's store."