The Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office reports two Illinois residents are facing multiple felony charges following a burglary investigation in rural Des Moines County.
According to Sheriff Kevin Glendening, deputies were called January 3rd to a burglary discovered at a property in the 25900 block of 205th Avenue. Investigators determined forced entry had been made to a building’s overhead garage door, which appeared to have been rammed by a vehicle. Several hand tools and power tools were reported stolen.
Deputies were able to identify a suspect vehicle through video surveillance and recognized it from a prior traffic stop earlier that day. The occupants were identified as 50-year-old Shane David Proctor of Peoria, Illinois, and 45-year-old Laura Lynn Beard of Galesburg, Illinois.
The vehicle was later located by the West Burlington Police Department. Both suspects were taken to the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, where they admitted to backing a vehicle into the garage door and stealing tools. The stolen items were found inside the vehicle.
Proctor and Beard were arrested and charged with first-degree criminal mischief and second-degree burglary, then transported to the Des Moines County Correctional Center. While being booked into jail, Beard was also found in possession of methamphetamine and now faces additional charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of contraband in a correctional facility.
Authorities remind the public that criminal charges are accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.