Stolen pickup, camper recovered near Orchard

A Texas couple is being held in the Antelope County Jail on $25,000 bond, with charges related to a stolen pickup and camper discovered near Orchard on Monday, Dec. 28.

Rodney A. Anderson, 28, homeless, and Lauren A. Lucas, 23, of Tomball, Texas, appeared before the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, Jan. 5, facing felony charges related to the thefts of a Chevrolet pickup from Scotts Bluff County and a camper from Stuart.

Each defendant is charged with two counts, a Class 2A felony, theft by unlawful taking, more than $5,000; and a Class 4 felony, theft by unlawful taking, between $1,500 and $4,999.

Indigency hearings were held and counsel appointed. Public defender Melissa Figueroa of Norfolk was appointed as counsel for Anderson, while Martin Klein of Neligh was appointed to represent Lucas.

Preliminary hearings are set for both defendants Jan. 20.

An Antelope County deputy, responding to a report of a vehicle blocking 513 Avenue about one mile north of Orchard, at 3:18 a.m. Dec. 28, discovered the pickup and camper stopped in the lane of traffic, with the couple apparently sleeping in the cab of the pickup under a pile of blankets.

According to a probable-cause affidavit filed by the deputy, Anderson, who was on the driver’s side, said he didn’t have his driver’s license with him and claimed he had purchased the pickup from a man he had met online the previous day. He was unable to produce a bill of sale nor identify the location where the purchase had taken place or any other details.

He had no key for the camper, which he said belonged to a friend. A sticker on the camper led to the discovery that it had been stolen from Kohle’s Camper Sales in Stuart but the theft had not yet been reported.

Lucas was unable to tell the officer where she was, nor where the couple was going, according to the affidavit.

Bond is set at $25,000, 10% cash, for each.