3 charged in stealing guns from cop cars

The three men who allegedly stole two shotguns and a handgun from three Cape Gir-ardeau police cars that have been routinely parked along Kingshighway overnight have been arrested and the guns recovered.

"They were apparently out cruising when they saw the cop cars and thought it would be neat to break into them and see what they could find," said police spokesman Jason Selzer.

Three men were arrested and charged with felony stealing: Kevin Todd Fornkohl, 21, of 1210 Forrest Lane; Gabriel Rodolfo Yanes, 18, of 1015 Harmony; and Willie James Southerland, 17, of 448 County Road 533. Selzer said they were still in the city jail Friday afternoon. Each man's bond was set at $75,000.

Two of the cars were parked at the Missouri Veterans Home at 2400 Veteran's Memorial Drive and the third was at Ford Custom Bikes at 2109 N. Kingshighway.

Officers have routinely parked their cars at businesses before driving their personal vehicles home, Selzer said. By leaving patrol cars at businesses, the department had attempted to provide a deterrant to speeders and other law violators. They pick the cop cars up the next morning on their way back to work.

Selzer said that a new policy has been put in place forbidding officers from leaving weapons in police vehicles that are parked away from the station overnight.

The perpetrators used what is known as a slim jim -- a long tool that unlocks cars -- to gain entry into the cars. They went through the cars, searched their briefcases and then got into the trunks, where they found the weapons.

Selzer said that as a result of the investigation, two others have been arrested. Kyle Richard Greenley, 17, of Jackson was taken into custody Friday and charged with one count of burglary. This burglary was reported Oct. 3 at 1303 Bertling. Bond for Greenley has been set at $75,000.

A fifth person was taken into custody Friday for a burglary that occurred in Cape Girardeau. Kyle Joseph Kneezle, 21, of Benton, Mo., was charged with two counts of burglary and one count of stealing. He, too, was in the city jail on $75,000 bond.

smoyers@semissourian.com

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