Carroll couple arrested in connection with thefts

A couple suspected in thefts from seven businesses in recent months has been arrested and lodged in the Carroll County Detention Center.
Nathan C. Seaward, 27, and Candida M. Blanton, 33, a homeless couple living in a van at the end of Lock Road were arrested July 16, 2012 by Carroll County Deputy Sheriff Clay Cable and Carrollton Police Sgt. Rick Jackson.

The Carroll County Central Dispatch received a call on Monday, July 16 reporting a theft from the former Craig Realty building on Lock Road. The building is being refurbished by Jake Jones, who contacted police. Jones reported that an item he placed in front of a door was moved and several tools were missing when he arrived to work in the building. Jones and his crew were working at night because the air conditioning system was not working.

Cable and Jackson responded to the call. Cable and CCSO Deputy Daniel Rose recently had a conversation regarding Seaward and Blanton being suspects in several thefts. According to Cable, he was aware that the couple was living in a van at the end of Lock Road, a short distance from the site of the most recent theft report. In addition, Cable said CPD Officer Tim Mitchell heard the radio traffic and informed him the couple had recently pawned some tools in Northern Kentucky.

Seaward and Blanton gave police permission to search their van. Cable and Jackson discovered tools matching those belonging to Jones. At that point, Cable took the two into custody and drove them to the Carrollton Police Department for questioning. Jones met Sgt. Jackson at the van and identified the tools. The van and all of its contents were impounded.

The couple was charged with receiving stolen property under $10,000 for the tools allegedly stolen from Jones. Police have said Seaward and Blanton were involved in thefts from Jones, General Butler State Park gift shop, Cradles to College, Traderbakers, Family Dollar, Prestonville Shell and Walmart.

According to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Seaward and Blanton would steal small items that could be easily concealed. Typically, Blanton would distract the store clerk while Seaward stole items. In one incident, they tried to steal from the General Butler State Park gift shop but were caught. However, they were able to secure some items because an employee of the gift shop spotted them at a yard sale Seaward and Blanton were having in a business lot on Highway 227. Sheriff Jamie Kinman and the gift shop manager recovered approximately $800 in items from the couple’s yard sale that were actually stolen from the gift shop.

Cradles to College, a local consignment store, was another victim of the pair. The owner of the business purchased a plastic tote full of items from the couple, only to discover about half of the items were stolen from her business. The remaining items were stolen from Family Dollar, General Butler State Park gift shop and Traderbaker’s, which is near Cradles to College. The owner of the Traderbaker’s booth identified the stolen items as did the General Butler State Park gift shop manager. Those items were returned to the owners.

Earlier in the year, the two were arrested by CCSO Deputy Daniel Rose for stealing items from a jewelry case at Walmart. Seaward was spotted by Walmart employees and was followed to the bathroom, according to Rose. The employees told Seaward to come out of the bathroom stall and return the merchandise, most of which was body piercing items. He did come out of the stall and they thought he returned everything, but later discovered he broke the jewelry case. After his arrest, a number of body piercing items were found on Seaward’s person.

The pair have subsequently been charged with burglary second degree, buy/possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance not in the proper container and possession of marijuana. They remain in the Carroll County Detention Center and the investigation is ongoing.