The Knox County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men who are responsible for at least 60 burglaries in Knox County, Knoxville and Sevier County and recovered around $50,000 worth of stolen items ranging from guns to Ipods.  Thirty-five year old Benny Richards of Griffith Drive is charged with aggravated burglary and burglary.  He has a long criminal history of burglary and has served time in the state prison for burglary.  He has been arrested 35 times just in Knox County on various charges of burglary, drug charges, resisting arrest, and driving without a license.  His accomplice, 32 year old Culley Thomas  of Clinton Highway, has been charged with burglary, aggravated burglary and unauthorized use of a credit card.  More charges are pending against both men.

Benny Richards	Culley Thomas

The suspects were arrested through information sharing between the KCSO and the Knoxville Police Department.   Information from KPD led KCSO to a car that was used in the burglaries.  KCSO stopped the car on April 16th and found Richards and two other people in the car who were wanted on outstanding warrants.  Officers later searched Richards’ house where he lives with his mother and found garbage bags with stolen credit cards, identification cards, checkbooks, wallets, purses, and other stolen items.  Through other information they searched another house on Prospect Road and found more stolen items including 2 guns, a television set, numerous lawn and garden items, power tools, lap tops, and GPS systems. Officers were also able to trace several individuals who had bought the merchandise, including 4 guns, and had them bring it to the Sheriff’s Office to be returned to the rightful owners. 

The KCSO is tracking down the owners of the property through reports and has already returned about $30,000 worth of merchandise.  Officers say the majority of the burglaries occurred in Knox County, 10 in Knoxville, and 16 in the Seymour area.  The suspects targeted cars, and then used garage door openers in those cars to gain entry into the houses.