Douglas County, MO- On Sunday January 28, 2024, the Douglas County Sheriff Department took a report of stolen propane tanks from Red Bank Store. After some investigation, it was quickly established that James Stanton, age 32, was suspect in the case.
According to the probable cause affidavit from the Douglas County Sheriff Department, in the early morning of January 27, 2024, an unidentified vehicle pulled into the parking lot of Red Bank Store and backed up to the propane cage. From there the cage was cut open with bolt cutters and 14 propane tanks were loaded into the vehicle before it drove away.
After getting the report, Deputy Dering of the Douglas County Sheriff Department, went back to Red Bank Store and got the video recording, which showed that there were two unidentified persons in a vehicle that matched the make and model of the vehicle that James Stanton drove to Red Bank Store earlier that same week. On the footage from earlier that week, a man that James had come with was shopping in the store while Stanton stood outside smoking and looking around for, what is being assumed, the locations of the cameras around the store.
The Douglas County Sheriff Department has had prior encounters with James Stanton and were able to identify one person in the video as the aforementioned person. On January 31, 2024, Deputy Dering and Green County Detective Daniel Adams arrived at the residence listed as James Stanton’s and talked with Stanton’s father, who stated that after receiving a call about his son, looked around his property and found 11 out of 14 of the stolen propane tanks. The charges that James Stanton has received are as follows, stealing of $750 or more, tampering with physical evidence in a felony, and property damage- 2nd degree.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Department is currently attempting to locate James Stanton to make an arrest on his outstanding warrant. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office at 417-683-1020 or 417-250-2320.
This information was gathered on https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/PCA_Redacted.PDF?courtCode=44&di=1307184.
