Date time of Apprehension:
Wednesday January 20, 2010 4:15 A.M.
Location(s):
· 2900 block of Walnut Shade Road Magnolia
· Clapham Road S/O Magnolia
· Millchop Lane and Autumn Moon Roads Magnolia
· 1000 block of Woodleytown Road Magnolia
· Sorghum Mill Road Magnolia
· 4000 block of Bay Road Magnolia
· Killens Pond Road Felton
· Burnite Mill Road (SR 12) Felton
· Winkler Road E/O S. DuPont Highway (US 13) Felton
· Hopkins Cemetery Road Harrington
· 4000 and 5000 block of Whiteleysburg Road W/O Harrington
· 2000 and 5000 block of Carpenter Bridge Road and Winkler E/O Harrington
· 300 block of Campground Road Harrington
· Steeles Ridge Road Camden
· Dundee Road Camden
· Canterbury Road Milford
DATE and TIME:
· Month of October 2009 the following dates: 8th, 17th, 20th, 21st, 26th, 27th
· Month of November 2009 the following dates: 16th, 17th, 18th,
· Month of December 2009 the following dates: 1st, 9th, 15th, 18th, 28th,
· Month of January 2010 the following dates: 4th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 15th
Approximate Value of Damage/to Repair and Stolen Copper Wire:
· $185,000
Approximate Length of Copper Stolen:
· 27,000 feet of copper wiring
Victim(s):
· 13 different farms around Kent County
Defendant and Charge Information(s):
· Roman E. Byler Jr-28, 100 block of Merritt Road Woodside, Delaware
· 26 counts of Theft
· 8 counts of Criminal Trespass
· 5 counts of Criminal Mischief
· Possession of Burglary Tools
· Conspiracy 2nd degree
· Kyle A. Rash-19, 600 block of Campground road Harrington, Delaware
· 10 counts of Theft
· 3 counts of Criminal Trespass
· Possession of Burglary Tools
· 2 counts of Criminal Mischief
· Conspiracy 2nd degree
Bond Information:
· Roman E. Byler Jr.: $140,500 secured bail remanded to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center
· Kyle A. Rash: $8,150.00 secured bail remanded to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center
Resume:
Since October 2009 Delaware State Police have been investigating numerous reports of theft of copper from farm irrigation equipment. Kent County farmers who began to prepare their fields for the upcoming farming seasons are beginning discover that they have been victimized. Many of their irrigation equipment has been damaged and copper wiring removed costing them thousands of dollars in repairs.
On Wednesday January 20, 2010 Delaware State Police obtained a break in this investigation. State Police 911 center received a report of a suspicious vehicle that appeared to be stuck in a field near Campground Road and Paradise Alley Road N/E of Harrington Delaware. Troopers responded to this area and located Kyle A. Rash of Harrington being detained by a farmer and eventually apprehended Roman E. Byler Jr. of Woodside who initially fled from the scene prior to police arrival. A search of Rash’s truck a black 1991 Chevy Blazer resulted in the recovery of large “wire cutters” and a quantity of irrigation wire.
State Police conducted interviews of the defendants and were able to link them to a number of thefts in the Milford, Magnolia, Camden, Dover, Harrington and Felton areas of Kent County.
Although the arrest of Roman E. Byler Jr. and Kyle A. Rash is considered significant, State Police will continue their efforts to solve other copper related crimes. There are still other possible suspects committing these crimes and other unsolved cases. State Police continue to request the reporting of suspicious activity in and around farm fields throughout the State. It was because of information quickly received by a concerned alert farmer that we were able to make this apprehension. If suspicious activity is observed contact 911 immediately. Those who have been victims of copper related thefts are also encouraged to contact State Police via the 911 center.
Byler and Rash were arrested on numerous criminal charges and incarcerated in the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, Smyrna in lieu of failing to post bond.
16 comments:
Unfortunately the farmers will never get restitution from those two losers. How about 15 minutes in the barn with a baseball bat instead?
Wish the farmers caught them first then we wouldn't have to pay to try them and house them. I hate a freak'in thief.
Roman Byler......any relation to Byler's Store in Dover?
All that copper would make for a good sybian Folks.
There's nothing worse than a GD sneakthief. They probably did more damage to the rigs than the copper was worth.
yea well if you knew the rest of Romans story would would saying worse things lol he is better off in jail... thats for sure
Anon 11:51, I guess Hooked on Phonics didn't work for you. It clearly says that Troopers responded to the area and located Kyle A. Rash of Harrington being detained by a farmer. So that means that the farmers DID have him first. Don't worry, you're not alone, not everyone can read.
Given the large dollar amount of the theft , I don't think these two know how much trouble they are in .
I hope they really "enjoy" their stay with bubba.
I know Roman and everyone that he knows he owes money to. He was already arrested for accepting money for work he would then never perform. I got my money the last day he dropped me off. I told him Im not getting out of the truck till I get paid and if it wasnt soon I'd drag him outta the truck and take it outta his butt (not the way Bubba is taking it outta his butt now) Ha ha Im glad your back in jail you worthless pc of crap and BTW this is CJ and you are an idiot Its a shame I know too too many people this jackass awes money to that will never see it. Like my buddy Kevein sitting next to me that worked for him for 3 weeks and couldnt cash the rubber check he was giving by Roman.
Hey i would like to add something to all of this. mr. byler may have done wrong theres no doubt about it! but my question is why did mr. byler get charged more than mr. rash? i feel that if mr. byler gets charged like that then so should mr. rash! they were both there so why not charge them the same... i just dont know what to think about it... and some people that are out there talking down on mr. byler are the ones that got him into it... and i feel that they need to be investagated too... thats my opinion!!!
Anonymous 10:44 there has to be a "master mind" in an opperation and just because Byker is a deliquent "master mind" doesn't mean he gets the lesser charges. Stupid, YES. Damaging this all may be, and how damaging to hear such unforgiving comments from fellow slower lower Delawarians (maybe that's how we got that title)...I'd expect a bit more forgivness, and Yes, my tax dollars are going to house these boys.
It is very unfortunate for everyone involved. I know Rash personally, he is a fellow soldier, which makes it that much worse but he is young and naive and in no way am I excusing his behavior. That's probably why the charges are less than the other gentleman's and his age is probably a factor in it also.
I think it's GREAT!!!! Try to live without WATER ALL SUMMER LONG!!! From the time thr irrigation starts till they stop and then wait a couple of weeks. And One Farmer thinks that it is 50 other farmers that is sucking us dry for the past 4 years. It seems that most of the copper was taken from their farm. The Boys did wrong, but tha's how kids are raised now days.
All I'd like to see is not only where they theiving from farmers, but what else have they been stealing?.... I've been a victum of theft 3 times in the past year, and when I find out exactly who it was... They just better hope that they are in jail first before I find them!... Cause I am looking....
i know kyle personally, he helped me build my business for free. He has a good heart and a hard worker. Fresh out of High School he joined the Army Guard. You know the one weekend a month doesnt put food on the table. He tried he really did try and find other work. As a former Eagle Scout and Mormon he knew it was wrong, but more important than him eating was his 85 year old Grams. He has been with her since age 10 due to his mother being a common crack w hore. I commend him for the army but wish he would have told me of these things before he did them. He was involved with only a few not all for which they say. He plead guilty to 4, 1 more than he was actually involved with. He ended up getting only about $1200 because he was the driver and too naive to know he was getting screwed over. Now the system wants him to pay 283,000 restitution for what was only 185,000 when this article came out. At $85/foot for this cable and a few pipe straps and screw driver spins, it is nowhere that amount especially if only pleading to 4 systems.
The kid has been kicked out of the Army and desperately wishes to turn back the clock but he cant. No drugs, the kid was hungry and wanted to take care of his family. Sure, say he should have looked for a job, but in this economy? Really? I had had $35,000/year job at an engineering firm and now I own a thrift shop in Milton, Delilahs Dive, because I couldn't find steady work since 2005. At the low times I offered my educated services to landscaping companies for less than they paid currently, but illegals take precedence. I'm educated with a lifetime of construction and farming experience but couldn't get a job at fast food, what chance did this kid stand?
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