One of two Keplar School burglary suspects charged
ROGERSVILLE — When Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested one of two men accused of breaking into Keplar School early Tuesday morning, the suspect was allegedly wearing the same Confederate Flag toboggan, Army field jacket, pants and shoes he was shown wearing in surveillance video.
Joshua Allen Tipton, 23, 424 Early Branch Road, Rogersville, was charged Wednesday with burglary, vandalism over $500, and theft under $500 in connection with the Keplar School burglary, in which $25 was taken from the school cafeteria.
A second suspect remains at large.
HCSO Detective John Parsons said Tipton had been developed as a suspect almost immediately after surveillance video from the school was turned over to the sheriff’s office.
Tipton was located Wednesday at a residence on Tunnel Hill Road about two miles from the school.
Parsons told the Times-News Thursday Tipton was dressed in exactly the same clothing he was allegedly wearing on video during the school burglary.
Upon being questioned, Tipton allegedly admitted to breaking into the school.
“He stated he didn’t steal anything, but he said he did break the window and did enter the school,” Parsons said. “He told us he was in there about a minute, but I think there’s about 20 minutes worth of video with him in there.”
Detectives are still looking for the second suspect, who was less visible on the surveillance video.
Tipton allegedly gave detectives a name for the second suspect and stated he’d picked up the second suspect on the side of road and had just met him.
“That’s normally not how it works, and we think Mr. Tipton is blowing a little smoke, and we’re still looking for the second guy,” Parsons said. “If you look at the video, there’s not a lot to go on with the second guy.”
Keplar School Principal Sandy Williams told the Times-News Monday the K-5 school located south of Rogersville is a poor target for thieves. She said the school has very little cash, including the cafeteria, which has at least 93 percent of the student body being on free and reduced-price lunches.
Anyone with information about the second Keplar School burglar is asked to call the HCSO at 272-4848 during business hours or 272-7121 after hours.
Surveillance video from the burglary can be seen at www.timesnews.net.
Tipton was released from the Hawkins County Jail on bond Wednesday and is scheduled for arraignment in sessions court on Feb. 1.
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