Observant mail carrier report leads to four theft arrests
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Saline County Sheriff's Deputies arrested four people accused of stealing items from a rural Eldorado residence following a report of suspicious activity from a rural letter carrier.
Deputies arrested Robert Lee Cole, 33, and Franky Ann Cole, 23, both of 135 Gandertown Road, Eldorado, 12:40 p.m. Oct. 28 on charges of theft over $300, theft of firearm, burglary, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm without a Firearm Owner's Identification Card. They remain held at the Saline County Detention Center on $2,500 cash bond.
Deputies charged Michael Jones Richter, 34, and Heather Marion Sue Richter, 33, also both of 135 Gandertown Road, Eldorado, 12:40 p.m. Oct. 28 with theft over $300. They remain held at the Saline County Detention Center on $1,500 cash bond.
Karen Owen was on her mail route Friday when she saw a green Ford Explorer pulling a trailer stop at 48 Alexander Road. She saw people exit the vehicle, load items from the yard into the trailer and drive away, according to Saline County Sheriff's Deputy Billy Duncan.
Owen reported the vehicle to Eldorado Police and Eldorado Officer Erin Williams located and stopped the vehicle on state Route 142 near Eldorado McDonald's, Duncan said.
Duncan arrived and arrested the driver and three passengers on suspicion of theft.
Duncan contacted the owner of the property, David Brown, who was oblivious any theft had occurred. Brown looked in his house to discover it had been ransacked with firearms, a wristwatch, cast iron cookware, clothing and tools missing, Duncan said.
Also in the Ford Explorer was the 12-year-old son of Heather Richter. Deputy Jeff Oestreich drove him to the 135 Gandertown Road property where his aunt was living. In the yard of that property Oestreich noted firearms and other items, also believed to belong to Brown, Duncan said.
Duncan believes the Coles had entered and burglarized the house the night prior to the theft of items from the yard, he said.