CHURCH HILL — A Church Hill man is facing several charges including aggravated burglary, theft, and drug possession after stolen jewelry sold recently to a Kingsport gold buying business was allegedly traced back to him.
On Jan. 14, Josh and Courtney Tate told the Church Hill Police Department that their residence on Seaver Avenue had been burgled.
CHPD Detective Kevin Grigsby said Jack Dillon Dykes, 20, 115 Seaver Ave., Church Hill, was developed as a suspect after neighbors reported he had been seen wandering around the neighborhood late at night prior to the burglary.
The victims were away from their home that day, and when they got home they discovered a basement window had been broken out and the home ransacked.
The value of missing jewelry and electronics was estimated in excess of $3,000.
“A check of recent records at Gold Buyers located on West Stone Drive in Kingsport revealed that the defendant (Dykes) had sold some of the victims’ property to that establishment on the same day the burglary was reported,” Grigsby said. “I then went to the last known location of the defendant, which was 115 Seaver Ave., across the street from the victims’ home. Upon speaking to the homeowner, Vivian Simpson, she stated the defendant is a relative that had been staying there.”
Simpson reportedly gave consent for a search of her home. In Dykes’ bedroom, Grigsby allegedly located various pieces of jewelry and electronics belonging to the victims.
Grigsby also allegedly recovered drugs and drug paraphernalia from Dykes’ room including several syringes, both used and unused, a pipe with the smell of burnt marijuana, cut straws with powder residue, numerous small baggies with powder residue, two small blue pills believed to be Alprazolam, and five unidentified round pills which were clear and filled with liquid.
Dykes initially denied all knowledge of the burglary or how the stolen property got to this bedroom, Grigsby said.
“The defendant then confessed, recanted, confessed again, and recanted again, before finally terminating the interview before a statement could be signed,” Grigsby added.
On Friday, Dykes was charged with aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000, possession of Schedule IV narcotics, and possession of drug paraphernalia. As of Monday, he remained held in the Hawkins County Jail with arraignment set for Wednesday.