Sep 4, 2008

Seven juveniles – three males and four females – have been turned over to juvenile authorities for the recent theft of yard ornaments. In addition, one adult female, Richelle Shelton, 37, has been charged with the misdemeanor of interfering with an arrest, according to the Ava Police Department. One of the juveniles has been charged with receiving stolen property, stealing, and two counts of littering. The remaining six are charged only with stealing. Six of the juveniles are local residents; one is from the St. Louis area, according to Sgt. Denny Hall, who is handling the investigation. Sgt. Hall said he has received formal complaints from 13 different homeowners in the city who had items stolen, including one 92-year-old resident. All the charges involve incidents in the Ava city limits, although some ornaments were also taken from residences outside the city. Hall said most of the ornaments were taken in a recent incident, but some thefts go back to the end of the school year last May. Some of the juveniles charged are athletes at Ava High School and are being disciplined according to school policy and regulations of the Missouri State High School Activities Association, Hall said.