Chester man denies second burglary charge in 2 months
Toolbox
By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: October 24, 2009
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Chester man is free on bail after pleading innocent to his second burglary charge in as many months.
Leonard E. Runnells, 26, pleaded innocent Tuesday in White River Junction District Court to felony charges of burglary and grand larceny, which carries a combined maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Runnells is free on $5,000 bail on conditions he observe a 24-hour curfew at his house and he submit to alcohol testing at the request of police.
According to affidavits filed with the court Aug. 3, Chester police met with a property owner on Gould Road, who said he came to check on his property and found his new woodstove missing from his house. He then checked the back of his house and found his old woodstove missing too.
Police interviewed a neighbor, who said she saw Runnells moving a woodstove out of the house several weeks earlier. The neighbor said Runnells told her he was helping the property owner move, records show.
"I've grown up and (I'm) mending my ways," Runnells reportedly told the neighbor, according to affidavits.
Police later interviewed Runnells, who told police he was under the influence of alcohol and Percocet the day of the alleged thefts and he didn't want to be arrested, records show. Runnells promised to return the stoves and both stoves were later returned but appeared to have been left out in the rain because they were covered with rust, according to affidavits.
Runnells' arraignment comes less than two months after he pleaded innocent to burglary Aug. 25.
According to the affidavits, June 18, Springfield police met with a Clark Street resident in North Springfield, who said someone had stolen her laptop computer, a Smith & Wesson 9 mm pistol and her husband's credit cards.
The woman told police she had recently hired Runnells to do yard work around her house, records show.
Police later interviewed Runnells, who said he and a man whose name he did not know had entered the house, records show. Runnells told police he only stole the credit cards and the mystery man took the gun and the laptop, police said.
According to affidavits, Runnells told police he used the credit cards at a local convenience store to buy several cartons of cigarettes, which he then traded for Percocet. He told police he later traded the gun for crack cocaine, records show.
josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com
29