WILMINGTON —A Dayton man has been convicted of 10 counts of breaking and entering and theft — two of which occurred in Wilmington in 2015 — and his alleged accomplice is awaiting trial.
According to Wilmington Police Chief Duane Weyand, on March 26, 2015 a breaking and entering occurred at the Murphy USA on Progress Way and officers were dispatched for an alarm activation. Police reported that when they arrived, a door was found to have been pried open and $10,900 in cigarettes had been stolen.
“Video of the incident revealed multiple suspects, operating a white Ford cargo van, arrived at the business,” Weyand said. “The suspects, in a well-orchestrated effort, were in and out of the business in under a minute.
On March 31, 2015 a breaking and entering occurred at Bane-Welker on Progress Way. Store employees arrived to find a window smashed and Stihl power tools, valued at nearly $8,000, had been stolen.
“Video of the incident showed what appeared to be the same white Ford cargo van arriving with a second vehicle,” Weyand said. “Multiple suspects approached the store and a large rock was thrown through a window. The suspects entered the store and removed the items within a minute.”
He said that, during WPD’s investigation, two potential suspects were identified as John Coile, 50, and Brandon Henry, 29, of Dayton. He said the white Ford cargo van was also identified as being involved in numerous breaking and entering incidents throughout central and southern Ohio.
Wilmington Police detectives and detectives with the West Chester Police Department were in the process of tracking the suspects when another incident occurred in Mercer County, Weyand said.
“The suspects were stopped by law enforcement immediately after breaking into a business and were taken into custody. Coile and Henry were in the vehicles,” Weyand said.
Mercer County Prosecutor Matt Fox agreed to take all Ohio cases involving the suspects. A 36-count indictment was filed against John Coile, which included multiple counts of breaking and entering, theft, and single count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (POCA).
A trial on the charges was held the week of Oct. 3. On the beginning of the third day, Coile’s attorney notified the prosecutor that a plea deal was being requested, Weyand said.
“An agreement was reached and Coile pled guilty to 10 counts of breaking and entering and theft, along with the single count of POCA,” Weyand said. “Two of the incidents Coile pled to were the Wilmington cases.”
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 2 and Coile is facing up to 20 years in prison. Restitution for loss is being ordered in all cases.
The case against Brandon Henry is pending and will also be held in Mercer County.
“Wilmington Police wish to thank all the agencies involved in the investigation and Mercer County Prosecutor Fox for his willingness to take the cases,” Weyand said. “This was a great example of multiple agencies coming together to identify, pursue, arrest and prosecute a criminal group.”
