Neighbors looking out for each other has led to the arrest of a 58-year-old from Bradley Junction by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) last week.
According to a release from PCSO, at around 2:10 pm on January 6, 2025, a resident in the hamlet of Bradley Junction south of Mulberry contacted PCSO, reporting that she believed she’d witnessed an unknown man snatch fishing poles off of her neighbor’s porch. The woman also provided a detailed description of the man and the direction that he took off in.
With her description, PCSO deputies were able to quickly locate the suspect several blocks away, which in quaint little Bradley Junction, equates to the other side of town. The suspect, identified as James Prine, was found in possession of five stolen fishing poles.
When questioned by deputies about his behavior, Prine stated that he didn’t see a No Trespassing sign on the porch, so assumed that he was free to take the poles as he pleased.
James Prine was taken to the Polk County Jail, where he’s being held on a $10,000 bond assessed across two charges. The 58-year-old now faces charges of burglary and felony petit theft as a result of previous convictions spanning over several years.
PCSO reports that Prine has an extensive criminal history, having been to prison half a dozen times for crimes such as burglary, grand theft, and dealing in stolen property. The 58-year-old pole bandit has multiple convictions for theft dating back to 1991, 1997, and 2015.
