New Paris woman held in theft
A New Paris woman is behind bars in Bedford County after allegedly stealing a truck and trailer, among other items, during a crime spree in the Buffalo Mills area. Jessica Marie Schmidt, 31, was arraigned early Saturday morning before Magisterial District Judge Kathy S. Calhoun on felony charges of burglary, criminal trespass, theft, possession of a firearm prohibited and carrying a firearm without a license, as well as misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and theft.
Unable to post £100,000 bail, she was remanded to the Bedford County Correctional Facility and is to appear for a preliminary hearing Nov.
8 in Central Court. According to court documents, state police responded about 4:30 p.m. Friday to a home on the 200 block of Rankers Lane, Buffalo Mills, where a man came upon Schmidt at his father’s home loading items into his stepmother’s vehicle.
When asked who she was, the woman said, “your mother, Ann Kite,” the witness told police. The woman, later identified as Schmidt, then got into the vehicle and attempted to drive around the house to get away, but went over an embankment near a creek and fled on foot. Police found wet brown pants and blue/pink shoes near the scene.
The items matched a description provided by the witness. While canvassing the area, police received another call for a truck and trailer abandoned in a field on the 800 block of Miller Farm Road. A female was walking around the area, and her description matched the first witness’ account, police said.
As police were investigating that incident, a second witness said he saw a white Ford dually pulling a trailer northbound on Route 96. The truck pulled out from M and M Drive and was moving “in a hurry,” police were told. A third witness also reported the truck, noting the ramps were still down on the trailer and the truck was heading toward Bedford.
Police then received another call from a female witness who said an unknown female, later identified as Schmidt, asked to borrow her car. When told no, the female walked back toward the white truck and trailer in the field, the witness said. Schmidt was found walking along Route 96 near Garrett Road, police report.
During a search, police found stolen items, including a Remington RM380 pistol and a cellphone. Police also received a call from a victim who stated items were missing from his van located on the 100 block of Church Road, West St. Clair Township.
The victim met with police and could identify his items found with Schmidt, including two flashlights, body spray, pliers, gloves and a cellphone, the report states. Police ran the serial number on the firearm, but could not locate owner information. Due to an aggravated assault conviction in Franklin County, Schmidt is not allowed to have a firearm, the report states.
About 10:15 p.m., police received a call about a truck and trailer stolen from the 100 block of M and M Drive, Buffalo Mills. The caller said the truck was parked there about 1 p.m. as he went riding ATVs. He returned about 10 p.m. to find the truck and trailer missing, court documents state.
The truck and trailer were positively identified as those found in the field, police stated.
Police said Schmidt matched the description that was given by the first witness and by others throughout each of the additional incidents that occurred.
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