Columbus police arrested a local man after he was accused of attempting to steal auto parts from inside a fenced-in area at a muffler shop.
Officers were sent to Staples Custom Mufflers, 3065 N. National road, at 12:20 a.m. Thursday after an employee saw a suspect hiding inside the fenced-in area on the property, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
Officers saw Jesse R. Bridges, 39, Columbus, climbing over a large chain-link fence and he was stopped, Harris said.
When checking the secure fenced area, officers saw that several items had been removed from vehicles and appeared to be staged on the ground outside of the cars, Harris said. When searching Bridges, officers found several tools including screwdrivers, flashlights, wrenches and a two-way radio, Harris said.
Bridges was arrested on preliminary charges of attempted theft and trespassing, jail officials said.
For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.
