Sikeston police flush out toilet-paper heist suspects

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A tip led to the arrest of three men who stole a trailer filled with $70,000 worth of toilet paper.

Jimmie Smith, 51, of Memphis, Tennessee, was charged with felony theft/stealing of more than $25,000 and first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle. Markel A. Eskridge, 42, and Eugene Pickens, 36, also both of Memphis, each were charged with felony theft/stealing more than $25,000.

Bond for the three men is set at $15,000 cash only, and they are awaiting their arraignment.

Sikeston Department of Public Safety Capt. Jim McMillen said Sikeston officers received an anonymous tip of possible thefts at a trucking company in the Sikeston area.

"There wasn't much detail about the information, so DPS began working to identify and monitor the various trucking companies in our area," McMillen said.

Eugene Pickens

About 4 a.m. Sunday, Sikeston officers and members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Commercial Motor Vehicle Division and Division of Drug and Crime Control were conducting surveillance when they saw a semi-tractor pull onto the lot of a local trucking business, followed by another vehicle. Three people exited the vehicle and began hooking the semi-tractor to a fully loaded trailer, McMillen reported.

"It took less than five minutes for the subjects to have the vehicle hooked to the trailer, and they began pulling out of the lot with the now-stolen trailer," McMillen said.

Officers from the surveillance detail conducted a vehicle stop in New Madrid County on the semi-tractor and the vehicle following it. Smith, Eskridge and Pickens were arrested for the theft.

According to McMillen, the trailer was fully loaded with toilet paper with a wholesale value of about $70,000. Additionally, the semi-tractor was determined to have been stolen Sunday night from a Memphis-area trucking company.

The investigation is continuing to determine whether the men are part of any other area thefts, McMillen said. He also said Sikeston police are contacting other area law enforcement officials to determine whether they had similar thefts.

Markel Eskridge