Published: October 06, 2008 11:13 pm      

Wrong one!

Burglary suspect acidentally pushed alarm button, police say

Ashland — Police on Monday arrested a burglary suspect whom they say telegraphed his crime by inadvertently tripping a silent alarm while trying to figure out how to open a cash drawer.

Jeremiah J. Sprague, 26, of Ashland, was arrested about 6:45 a.m. following an abortive burglary attempt at the Kroger Fuel Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

According to a news release from the Ashland Police Department, Sprague allegedly tried to burglarize the fuel center after he saw an employee performing maintenance outside of the cashier’s kiosk.

Sprague allegedly entered the kiosk and began randomly pushing buttons. The suspect “accidentally activated the panic alarm as he was frantically trying to open the till,” the APD said.

Officers responded to the alarm and arrested Sprague on charges of third-degree burglary, first- and third-degree possession of controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The first-degree possession charge stemmed from Sprague allegedly having OxyContin on him, APD Sgt. Mark McDowell said. He said he wasn’t sure what drug Sprague allegedly had that prompted the third-degree possession charge.

Third-degree possession and possession of drug paraphernalia both are misdemeanors. The other charges are Class D felonies that carry possible prison sentences of one to five years.

Sprague was lodged in the Boyd County Detention Center. He remained in custody Monday afternoon. A jail spokeswoman said his bond had not yet been set.

The case remains under investigation by Officer Josh Steele.

KENNETH HART can be reached at khart@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2654.