Defiance, Ohio—June 16, 2021 at 2:30 p.m., deputies were dispatched to 23092 SR 66 Defiance, Ohio, which is in Northeast Paulding County, for a breaking & entering in-progress.
The landowner had arrived at their uninhabited property and discovered two adult men actively stealing their goods. One male fled immediately, the other got in his vehicle and tried to drive away. He became stuck in a ditch. The driver then fled the scene on foot.
A perimeter was set up with deputies and State Troopers. An aircraft from the State Highway Patrol was also dispatched to the scene. Deputies, Troopers and a State Wildlife Officer searched the area for nearly 3 hours. All law enforcement cleared the scene around 5:30 pm after being unable to locate the suspects in the thick woods.
At approximately 6:15 pm, landowners near the intersection of Road 191 and Road 178 in Auglaize Township called the Sheriff’s Office to report two men walking in a field and entering a wooded area. Law enforcement responded. After searching the woods, Bobby Joe Thompson, age 42, and William Wehby, Jr., age 53, from Scott, Ohio, were located and taken into custody without incident.
“This was a great example of multiple agencies working together and the community being alert and providing us information,” said Sheriff Jason K. Landers.
Formal charges had not been filed at the time of this press release; however, they will be arraigned on their forthcoming charges Friday June 18, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. via video arraignment with Paulding County Municipal Court.
Agencies assisting the Sheriff’s Office include; the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife and the Oakwood Police Department.
