Three Held In Burglary Of Churches

Staff Writer

GRAND SALINE—Three people were arrested and charged in connection with the burglary of a daycare center and several churches in recent months.

Investigator Kenny Martin of the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office said Gary Thomas Morris, 17, Grand Saline; Billy Bob Basham, 17, Grand Saline; and Robert Ray Anderson, 21, Fruitvale, were the three arrested.

They were found and arrested at a private residence in Fruitvale on May 13, and charged with burglary of a building Martin said. A tip that was received by Grand Saline Police Officer Jeremy Barker led to the arrests.

Thursday, Grand Saline Police Investigator Leslie Lehmann said her department filed four additional counts of burglary of a building against Morris. She said possible additional charges were pending.

Martin said some of the property taken in the burglaries had been recovered and returned to the proper owners on the same day the suspects were arrested.

He said sheriff’s office investigator James Whitt was in charge of the cases involving the three. A phone message left for Whitt was not immediately returned.

Martin said interviews with the suspects have not yet yielded names of any additional suspects.

One or more of the suspects are believed to have been involved in burglaries at Iglesia Bautista Church, First United Methodist Church of Grand Saline, Main Street Church of Christ and Richland Heights Baptist Church, Lehmann said.

One or more of the suspects are also believed to have been responsible for a break-in and burglary at the Fruitvale Learning Center on May 13.