Suspected kingpin in burglary ring arrested

A multi-agency effort Thursday June 13, netted the arrest of Thomas DeWayne Collums, thought to be the ring leader in a rash of burglaries of properties in Marshall County, according to sheriff Kenny Dickerson.

Collums, 41, who gave his address as the 700 block of Wildcat Bottom in Red Banks, was located and pursued by dozens of law enforcement agents in Eads, Tenn. Area, the sheriff said.

Collums fled arrest by law enforcement where he finally was flushed out of dense brush in a wooded area at a location near Quinn Road by DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department officers working with a K-9 officer.

Dickerson thanked alert citizens, a farmer who spotted Collums fleeing over his soybean field, to a citizen who picked up Collums on his surveillance camera. Both actions by these two alert citizens is credited with providing tips that resulted eventually in the location of the fourth suspect in a burglary ring that took approximately $100,000 in property from four locations in Marshall County.

Collums was arrested Thursday morning after a long high-speed pursuit sometimes approaching speeds of 100 miles per hour by numerous officers.

Collums had been on the run for several weeks, Dickerson said.

He said information and intelligence received by his investigators and members of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force in Memphis and Oxford located Collums at a residence in Eads. Collums was observed leaving the residence in a white Chevrolet van, and a high-speed pursuit began as the suspect was leaving the residence in Eads.

Collums was pursued by officers with Shelby County and the U.S. Marshals into Mississippi where the suspect exited the Interstate and took a route to Barton, Dickerson said. The suspect drove East on Highway 302 to the Quinn Road exit, and turned on Quinn Road with officers in close pursuit.

Collums turned a short distance on Quinn Road into a dim woods trail, striking a large tree, then fled on foot swiftly into the woods with officers in hot pursuit.

He continued running on foot through the woods and entered an agricultural field near Quinn Road and Highway 302 where he evaded arrest for about two hours, the sheriff said.

A local farmer spotted Collums running across his soybean field near a barn and immediately called the Sheriff’s Department.

“The tip received from the farmer was a great help in locating the suspect,” the sheriff said. “A property owner spotted Collums on his outdoor surveillance camera and immediately relayed the information to us.”

The K-9 located Collums hiding in thick brush and incapacitated Collums who was given medical attention by law enforcement in pursuit and by the Barton fire chief, and later by medics with the local ambulance service, the sheriff said.

He was transported to Methodist Olive Branch where he received stitches in his thigh from the dog bite.

Dickerson said a handgun was recovered from the seat in the van.

“Due to his felony fleeing and possession of a handgun, we plan to ask the ATF (Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms) to charge him with convicted felon in possession of a handgun,” Dickerson said.

Following Collums arrest, district attorney Ben Creekmore contacted prosecutors and authorities with the Mississippi Department of Corrections to get Collums’ probation revoked.

“Hopefully, he will be on his way to Parchman,” Dickerson said.

Collums has a record of felony convictions on similar burglary charges in North Mississippi, which Dickerson said, qualifies Collums to be charged as an habitual offender. He was last sentenced on drug charges in DeSoto County and given unsupervised probation after being allowed to plea bargain out, Dickerson said. He said both Federal and State laws can be applied in this case charging possession of a firearm by a felon.

“This allowed the offender to continue the pattern of preying on the hardworking taxpayers and magnifies our job in law enforcement in dealing with these type of career criminals,” Dickerson said. “Taxpayers then have to pay for an attorney to represent them. It certainly is not right.”

Dickerson thanked members of the following agencies who participated in the apprehension of Collums, including:

• DeSoto County deputy handler and his K-9.

• investigators in the Marshall County narcotics unit under the leadership of Capt. LaDaryl Odum.

• criminal investigators under the command of Maj. Kelly McMillen.

• patrolling officers under the command of Maj. David Cook.

• Youth Court Sgt. Karla Burns.

• Capt. Larry Rankin, deputy and administrator.

• Investigator Charles Powell who assisted the search with his drone which was also helpful in locating the suspect.

• Maj. David Cook and all his patrolling officers.

• agents with the U.S. Marshals Service in Memphis and Oxford.

• officers with the Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Department and DeSoto County. Shelby County also brought two K-9 officers.

• ATF agents.

• tips received from the farmer and homeowner with his security camera who reported in a timely manner.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of their help in the apprehension,” Dickerson said.

Dickerson said this case points out the importance that property owners take photos of their equipment and record serial numbers on all their property such as trailers, fourwheelers, Side-by-Sides, boats, lawn equipment and other valuables.

It is also important for residents to post their 911 addresses at the entrance to their land or lots because the addresses are critical for officers to help locate areas when thefts are reported.