Riverside
store accused of receiving stolen goods
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by Kim
Fickett
Landmark reporter
The Platte County Sheriff’s Department has made
another arrest in one of the largest burglary rings in
the county’s history.
Last week, the sheriff’s department served a warrant
to the Decorator House at 1847 N.W. Vivion Road in Riverside
after learning that one of the men arrested in connection
with the ‘funeral day’ burglaries was allegedly
“romantically involved” with the store’s
owner.
Captain Frank Hunter said: “In dealing with the
first two burglars, we discovered there was a romantic
interest between (Dane) Johnson and Stephanie Reynold
(Decorator House owner).
Reynold, who resides in Johnson County, Mo., is being
held on a $15,000 bond for receiving stolen property,
a Class C Felony.
“We found properties that appeared to be jointly
owned and it led us to the Decorator House. Through further
investigative process, we were able to get a search warrant
and look for stolen property from the Platte County burglaries.”
Hunter said the alleged ‘funeral day’ burglars,
Johnson and Landon Prothro, stole furniture from model
homes in southern Platte County, as well as striking homes
of mourners attending funeral services of family members.
“They were hitting model home furniture in the south
and putting it in the Decorator House and over 50% of
the stock was stolen merchandise,” reported Hunter.
Hunter estimated the total retail value of the items
stolen between $500,000 to $750,000.
The sheriff’s department executed four search warrants
on Friday, including one in Johnson County, Mo., two in
Claycomo and one at the Decorator House in the Eastbrook
Plaza shopping center.
Along with finding stolen merchandise at the Decorator
House, authorities searched two storage lockers in Claycomo
and found stolen goods thought to be connected to the
ring, according to Hunter.
A stolen trailer loaded with stolen items was also discovered
at a farm in Johnson County, Mo.
Johnson, 32, and Prothro, 30, both of Kansas City, North,
were arrested Feb. 10 and charged with one count of first-degree
burglary and three counts of second-degree burglary.
Hunter reported Johnson was free on $50,000 bond but
arrested again on Friday and charged with another count
of first-degree burglary. Johnson is now back in the Platte
County Jail with a cash-only bond of $50,000.
The sheriff’s department also obtained a second
warrant in conjunction with other agencies who had victims
targeted by the burglars.
“We had received information from other jurisdictions
about stolen property from those jurisdictions which we
identified in the Decorator House during our first search
warrant,” stated Hunter.
“We, as Platte County, obtained a second search
warrant to go back in and look for more stolen property
in conjunction with other agencies so they could retrieve
property taken from their jurisdictions.”
Authorities from jurisdictions such as Raymore, Shawnee
and Lenexa, were on sight to help identify stolen goods.
“This is the biggest burglary ring we have done
through Platte County. These guys were very organized,”
stated Hunter.
While Platte County has nearly completed its investigation
of the burglaries, Hunter said the department will continue
to work with the other jurisdictions.
“We’re pretty much completing the investigation
of our burglaries but we will continue to cooperate with
outside agencies in the recovery of their properties and
provide assistance in their investigations,” said
Hunter.
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