Theft charges dropped against Texas couple

A Texas couple, accused in the theft of a pickup and camper, recently had their Antelope County charges dismissed.

Antelope County Attorney Joe Abler told the Advocate, on Monday morning, “Local Antelope County charges against Rodney Anderson and Lauren Lucas were dismissed last week, after my office was contacted and informed by the Scotts Bluff County attorney’s office that felony charges and warrants for theft of the same motor vehicle had been filed in that jurisdiction. As far as the alleged felony theft of a camper from a business in Holt County, no charges have been filed by the Holt County Attorney as of this time.”

Anderson, 28, homeless, and Lucas, 23, of Tomball, Texas, were arrested by an Antelope County deputy Dec. 28, 2020,and appeared in Antelope County Court Jan. 6, where public defenders were appointed and preliminary hearings set on the allegations. Court records show dismissals were filed by Abler on Jan. 15.

An Antelope County deputy, responding to a report of a vehicle blocking 513 Avenue about one mile north of Orchard, on Dec. 28, had discovered the pickup and camper stopped in the lane of traffic, with the couple apparently sleeping in the cab of the pickup.

According to a probable-cause affidavit filed by the deputy, Anderson reported 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. Although he produced a title in another individual’s name, he was unable to produce a bill of sale nor identify the location where the purchase had taken place nor any other details. A record check found the pickup was reported stolen in Scotts Bluff County.

Anderson had no key for the camper. 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 been reported.

Lucas, allegedly was unable to tell the officer where she was, nor where the couple was going,