Law enforcement used K-9s to search extensively for about five hours for suspects who crashed a rental van on Edgemoor Road in Claxton on Sunday night, but they were not able to locate anyone and the search has been suspended, authorities said Monday.
A Sheriff’s Department K-9 bloodhound tracked all the way across Chestnut Ridge to West Wolf Valley Road, but the track ended abruptly and it appears the suspects were picked up by a car, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.
Around midnight, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department also helped Oak Ridge Police Department search the east end of Oak Ridge for about two hours with a K-9 and other deputies looking for a suspicious person that had been reported. It is not clear if that person was involved with the burglary suspects, Lucas said.
He said about 15 deputies responded to the Claxton area to search for the suspects. Both day and night patrol deputies were involved, along with some that were called from home.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office sent several deputies including K-9s, and ORPD sent several officers to help with the Claxton manhunt. The Tennessee Highway Patrol also responded.
Extra patrol deputies remained in the Claxton and West Wolf Valley area throughout the day on Monday, but it seems likely the suspects were picked up since there have been no more sightings, Lucas said.
Authorities said the Sunday evening search in Claxton began after about 5:30 p.m., when Knox County 911 notified the Anderson County Sheriff’s Communications Center of a car burglary in Concord Park in west Knox County.
“The victim of the burglary chased the suspects down Pellissippi Parkway into Anderson County, where they crashed on Edgemoor Road near Bull Run Steam Plant,” Lucas said in a Monday evening update. “Three or four suspects from the van ran on foot into Sherwood Estates subdivision. There were two reports of prowlers, and the suspects tried to break into one house.”
Authorities reported that there might have been three or four men in the rental van that was chased and then crashed on Edgemoor Road at Ozella Lane.
Lucas said none of the witnesses were able to provide much detail on the suspects’ descriptions other than that they were black and possibly dressed in dark clothing. Knox County deputies towed the van, which was a rental, and they are investigating to determine the identities of the suspects.
It’s not clear yet what might have been taken from any vehicle at Concord Park, Lucas said.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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