Grand Junction PD Burglarized, Car Set On Fire
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The search is on for a suspect who is targeting a West Tennessee police department. In the past few days, not only has the Grand Junction Police Department been burglarized, but the day after the department’s police chief was let go, its only patrol car was set on fire. Mayor Curtis Lane told 7 Eyewitness News the break-in happened sometime between Thursday night and Saturday morning. The car fire was early Tuesday morning. Lane said there are a lot of questions unanswered at this point, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said the cases are still under investigation. “I think it’s caused more excitement in this town than what’s been here for awhile,” said resident Al Tice. “I think people are overreacting to a situation that began with the chief getting stopped for a DUI.” And since Pat Ryan’s arrest in Tunica, Mississippi for DUI while driving his city-issued car, someone broke-in and stole items from the police department, and the day after Ryan was fired, the city’s only patrol car was set on fire. Mayor Lane told 7 Eyewitness News he did not know if the decision to terminate the chief made at a board of aldermen meeting caused someone to set the fire. Officials believe the fire was arson, but said they are still investigating how the car was set on fire. Lane said he does not know if the former police chief is a suspect, and the TBI said it has made no arrests. But many in the city believe their former chief is not responsible for either crime. “There’s going to be a lot of people surprised when they find out who’s actually behind it,” Tice said. “When they solve what’s going on. Hope it’s soon, we don’t need anymore.” Investigators would not comment on what was taken from the police department. Anyone with information is asked to contact the TBI at 1(800)-TBI-FIND.
