BEDFORD — A Mount Vernon man has been formally charged with burglary and theft after he and two others allegedly stole items from an abandoned home and a camper on a property in Lawrence County. Collin A. Yates, 22, is facing two felony counts of burglary and a misdemeanor count of theft.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Lawrence County Sheriff Greg Day, the investigation began on August 1, 2025, when a property owner reported a burglary at a residence on Boone Hollow Road. A witness saw a vehicle with Kentucky registration and three males running from an abandoned house on the property. The witness was able to take a photo of the vehicle’s license plate before the men left.
Through an investigation, Sheriff Day identified the males as Yates, Branson Russell, and Byron Arnold. When contacted, Russell told the sheriff they “liked going through abandoned houses” and admitted to taking some items, believing it was not illegal since the house was abandoned.
The three men later voluntarily came to the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and returned some of the stolen items, including a PlayStation 2 and several games. During separate interviews, all three admitted to entering the abandoned house and stealing items. Yates is accused of also entering a secured camper on the property and stealing a PlayStation and games.
A warrant has been requested for Yates’s arrest. He faces charges related to both the theft from the abandoned house and the burglary of the camper.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
