Lloyd Burrows                              Ronnie Butler

Two Labette County men are in custody following an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office into the May 1st theft of nearly $30,000.00 worth of equipment from Lambert Tractor and Machinery Sales, outside of Galena.  The suspects are also accused of a second, yet unsuccessful, attempt at stealing additional property in the early morning hours on May 6th.

Lloyd Burrows Jr., age 50, of Chetopa, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon by Chetopa Police Officers after Cherokee County Sheriff's Investigators secured an arrest warrant for him.  Following his arrest, Burrows was turned over to Cherokee County authorities and transported to the Cherokee County Jail.  He is being held on charges of Felony Theft, Attempted Felony Theft and Felony Criminal Damage to Property. 

"Over the course of this investigation, detectives have been working closely with our law enforcement partners at the Labette County Sheriff's Office and Chetopa Police Department, which helped lead to the recovery of some of the stolen property early in the week," according to Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves.

"Wednesday evening, following Burrows' arrest, investigators were led to a location in rural Craig County, Oklahoma, where the remainder of the stolen items were located and recovered."

Thursday morning, Cherokee County Detectives obtained an additional arrest warrant for 34-year-old Ronnie Butler who was arrested by Chetopa authorities and turned over to Cherokee County Deputies.  He is also being held in the Cherokee County Jail on allegations of Felony Theft, Attempted Felony Theft and Felony Criminal Damage to Property.   

"This case serves as a good example of how law enforcement in this region regularly works together and how those partnerships often lead to the successful identification and apprehension of criminal suspects.  I'm appreciative of the efforts of all investigators and agencies involved with this case so we could not only return property to the rightful owner but also hold those responsible accountable," concluded Sheriff Groves.