BEDFORD— A Mitchell man, identified as a maintenance worker, is facing felony charges of burglary and theft after he was allegedly found inside a tenant’s apartment without permission and accused of stealing a recently purchased air conditioning unit.
Martin Robbins, 62, of Mitchell, has been charged in Lawrence County following an investigation by the Bedford Police Department into an incident that occurred on September 12, 2025.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed by Officer Bryce Bower, officers were dispatched to the 2000 block of Ted Jones Drive after a female tenant reported a burglary. The victim, who was out of town, stated that the maintenance worker, Martin Robbins, was inside her apartment taking items.
Upon arrival, Officer Bower and Officer Jones located Robbins inside the apartment with his brother. Martin Robbins initially claimed he had authority from the property owner to work in the unit.
However, Officer Jones contacted the property manager, Rita Foddrill, who confirmed that the apartment was not abandoned and that Robbins did not have permission to be inside the residence working. The officers informed Robbins of the property manager’s statement, and both he and his brother subsequently left the apartment.
Later that evening, the tenant returned to the residence and requested to speak with officers again. They reported that Martin Robbins had allegedly stolen her Midea Air Conditioning unit, which had been purchased just one day earlier, on September 11, 2025, for $180.
The victim also informed officers that Robbins had been repeatedly entering the apartment and changing the locks, despite her having an active lease until November 30. She was advised to submit a copy of her lease to the BPD for inclusion in the incident folder.
Based on the information, Officer Bower determined that there was probable cause to believe Martin Robbins had committed the crimes. The officer requested that an arrest warrant be issued for Robbins, and he was detained on October 30.
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.
