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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

A wild theft story ended in Jemison as a stolen airplane from Mississippi was found in the community ending a month-long investigation.

On Dec. 20 of last year, a Piper Archer II airplane was reported stolen to the Sunflower County Sheriff’s Department in western Mississippi after it was taken from the Indianola Airport in Indianola, Mississippi. The Mississippi Agriculture and Livestock Theft Bureau (MALTB) were contacted to assist in the investigation.

About a month went by with no leads on the plane, but on Jan. 17, a Chevrolet Corvette was stopped by Madison Police Department officers in Alabama for a traffic violation. Information gathered from the Corvette pointed to that it was stolen and led investigators to Jemison where they found the stolen Mississippi airplane. It is speculated that the Corvette was exchanged for the airplane. Authorities say a suspect has been arrested and will be charged in connection with the theft of the plane.

The MALTB worked alongside the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office to recover the plane, and Chilton County Sheriff John Shearon said the plane was returned to the owner in Mississippi. MALTB Director Dean Barnard commended the MALTB investigators and the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case and the recovery efforts.