Drone used in arrest of man alleged to have stolen more than $30K in property

A Cape Girardeau County man faces eight felonies following an investigation by the sheriff's office that recovered more than $30,000 in stolen property, police said.

The sheriff's office used a surveillance drone as part of the investigation.

Joseph M. Thiele is charged with the Class C felony of stealing $25,000 or more from a teller machine; five Class D felonies, including unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, two counts of second-degree burglary and stealing of a firearm. He also faces a Class E felony of resisting or interfering with arrest.

Some of the stolen items, including a four-wheeler and lawn equipment, were allegedly taken from a barn just outside of Jackson city limits. Also recovered was a side-by-side UTV and accessories estimated to be worth $30,000 and an AR-style rifle.

Thiele had an active parole warrant for his arrest with no bond, according to a probable-cause statement authored by a detective whose name is redacted. The sheriff's office deployed a surveillance drone that found Thiele, a convicted felon, in possession of a rifle, according to the probable-cause document. Once officers arrived to serve the parole warrant, Thiele attempted to flee on an ATV. Thiele hit a patrol car, then ran through a creek, police said. He was caught and taken into custody. Police said he possessed 5 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Upon further investigation, officers discovered several stolen items in Thiele's garage.