Three arrested in theft investigation in northern West Virginia, troopers say

Three individuals, including two fugitives wanted in several states, were arrested in a theft investigation in northern West Virginia, according to local law enforcement. The inquiry began on March 1, when state troopers were alerted to a stolen Frontier Communications truck in the Romney area.

On March 7, another theft report emerged, involving a GMC Sierra truck that was stolen just half a mile from the location of the Frontier truck. The next day, officers in Cumberland, Maryland, discovered the GMC towing a stolen trailer, leading to the arrest of its driver, Lindsey Teresi, 30, from Cumberland. Unfortunately, an unidentified male passenger managed to escape in the stolen Frontier truck.

Following the discovery of the GMC, Hampshire County deputies continued their search and located the stolen Frontier truck at a campground west of Romney. Alongside the truck, they found an array of suspected stolen items, including a side-by-side vehicle, a trailer, generators, and 11 firearms, among which were both handguns and an illegal AR-15 rifle.

The arrests were made in connection with the recovered items, apprehending Johnathan Church, 43, from Goldsboro, Maryland, and Jarel Schaefer, 43, from Denton, Maryland. Both men were identified as convicted felons with active warrants from multiple jurisdictions.

The duo faces several serious charges, including grand larceny, possession of stolen property, being felons in possession of firearms, conspiracy, and evading law enforcement. The total value of the stolen property recovered is estimated to be around $70,000.