Man sought for questioning in Butler County vehicle break-ins

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Williamsville, Mo., man is wanted for questioning in connection with vehicle break-ins Sunday morning at Agee Fellowship Church.

The windows of five vehicles were broken, according to Butler County Cpl. Randall Huddleston. Purses, cash, checkbooks, credit and debit cards were stolen from the vehicles, he said.

Tyler West is wanted for questioning in connection with the break-ins and on two warrants for felony stealing, Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs said. West's bonds total $25,000.

Dobbs said all the vehicles had been parked in the church's front and side parking lots.

"One church member did give a possible suspect and suspect vehicle description," Dobbs said.

Dobbs said people living on a private lane about a mile from the scene saw an individual matching the same description and vehicle were seen on the lane at about 1 p.m. Sunday.

A search Monday turned up four purses that had been discarded in a pond.

"We feel confident that there was usable DNA evidence collected yesterday at the scene," Dobbs said.

About three weeks ago, Huddleston said, a similar incident happened at Fellowship General Baptist Church on U.S. 67 North. On that Sunday morning, windows were broken out of two vehicles and a purse and a wallet were stolen.

Anyone with information about West's whereabouts or about the vehicle break-ins is asked to call the sheriff's department at 785-8444.