Columbus Day criminals captured in Palestine

The Donley County Sheriff’s Department reported Friday that burglars involved with Columbus Day crimes in Lelia Lake have been arrested.

Chief Deputy Butch Blackburn said Brandy Machell Savers, age 24, and Cecil Ray Turner, age 26, were arrested by Postal Inspector Fermin Romo in Palestine, Texas, on October 13.

Savers and Turner confessed to the October 9 break in at the Lelia Lake Post Office where they stole several money orders, Blackburn said. The duo also broke into Reynolds Machine & Supply and stole cash and tools.

The couple also burglarized the Estelline Post Office the same night.

Blackburn said Savers and Turner tried to pass off the one of the stolen money orders in a Dallas post office, but the postal clerk recognized it as being stolen.

The clerk refused to take the money order, went to the parking lot, and wrote down the suspects’ license plate number. They were also captured on video tape.

Fermin recovered some money orders as well as tools taken from Reynolds’ store.

Blackburn said the couple is scheduled to be arraigned on federal charges in Amarillo this week. They will also face state charges for the break-in at Reynolds.

Turner has a long criminal history, Blackburn said.