TOP PHOTO: One officer said that these trucks were lined up with the engines running in some of them before police arrived and placed a man suspected of attempting to steal the trucks under arrest.

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – A man known to local law enforcement officials remains housed in the Campbell County Jail this morning after allegedly attempting to steal trucks from the City of La Follette Public Works truck yard.

Saturday afternoon, around 3:30pm, is when LPD Officer Daniel Smith talked to a witness near the Public Works Department on North Massachusetts Avenue. The witness stated that there was a man inside the fenced area of the PWD which was closed for the weekend. Officer Smith soon found Joe Ted Kitts behind the wheel of a dump truck that belongs to the City.

Officer Smith details in his report that several of the City’s trucks had been driven in the truck yard and were parked near the exit gate with some of the trucks motors still running. Casey Boshears, Director of Public Works, told Smith that the doors to the maintenance garage were opened. Kitts had allegedly taken the cover off the gate control trying to open the gate to the truck yard.

It was stated in the police report that Kitts was attempting to steal seven trucks. The price range of the trucks is from $10,000 to $160,000 according to the narrative.

Kitts was placed in one patrol car and then moved to another patrol car. In the back seat of the first patrol car, a large ball of a crystal substance wrapped in plastic and black tape was found. Kitts allegedly told Officer Smith that it was meth.

Charges levied against Kitts include possession of a schedule II controlled substance, tampering with or fabricating evidence, burglary of business, vandalism, theft, burglary of vehicle, attempted theft over $100,000, attempted theft over $50,000, attempted theft over $10,000.

Kitts does not have a bond and is due in General Sessions Court this morning. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 09/29/2022-6AM)