Man charged in theft of pickup from Neligh business

A Neligh man has been charged with burglary after he allegedly broke into Carhart Lumber, stole and crashed a 2013 Chevrolet pickup.

Christopher W. Robinett, 20, made his first appearance in Antelope County Court in Neligh on Aug. 16, on the Class 2A felony burglary charge.

Antelope County public defender Pat Carney, who was previously appointed to represent Robinett, had filed a motion to withdraw due to a conflict of interest. Taylor appointed Martin Klein of Neligh and set the case for preliminary hearing Sept. 6.

If convicted of the crime, Robinett faces up to 20 years in prison and restitution for the wrecked truck.

A bond hearing was held, with Klein requesting a personal recognizance bond. He told the judge Robinett had made arrangements to reside at a halfway house in Norfolk. Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith objected.

“PR bond is not appropriate,” Taylor said before reducing bond from $50,000, 10% cash, to $10,000, 10%, with conditions including written permission for any place he resides. He was remanded back to the custody of Antelope County sheriff Bob Moore, pending posting of bond.

According to an affidavit filed by Neligh police officer Darin Ternus, law enforcement officers were contacted by Robinett’s father, Ronald Murberger of Neligh, about 4:30 a.m. Aug. 6, advising his suspicions the defendant had stolen a flatbed pickup from Carhart Lumber. According to the affidavit, Ternus and Moore met a Carhart representative at the lumber yard, discovering an overhead door open and a walk-in door with a broken lock. It was determined a 2013 Chevy Silverado pickup was missing from the bay area. A review of store surveillance footage showed a male, whom the officers allegedly recognized as Robinett, walking around a storage building, breaking the lock on the walk-in door to the bay and subsequently driving away in the truck. It was later located north of Tilden, in a ditch, wrecked. Robinett was allegedly still in the driver’s seat. Officers also indicated alleged evidence that the vehicle hit and broke off a power pole near the Antelope County Country Club.

Robinett was transported to Antelope Memorial Hospital by Tilden Rescue, where a preliminary breath test result was .141. He was placed under arrest after medical clearance.