Thomas Kerss
At approximately 3:30 this morning (Friday, December 24, 2010) two masked men burglarized the bank in Cushing, Texas (Nacogdoches County). It was the second time in just over a week the bank was targeted by burglars. As deputies responded to the alarm call, deputy Ben Curtis met a vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle used by suspects in the previous burglary. A high speed pursuit began when Deputy Curtis attempted to stop that vehicle along F.M. 225 just south of Cushing. Deputy Curtis chased the suspects to Douglass, at which time the suspects abandoned the vehicle (a silver Toyota P.U.) and fled on foot toward the Douglass school. As officers searched the school campus for the suspects Deputy Curtis observed a ladder leaning against one of the buildings on campus. Deputy Curtis climbed the ladder and located both suspects hiding on the roof of an adjacent building. The suspects then jumped from the roof to the ground, at which time one of the suspects (Wilburn Thacker of Alto, was taken into custody. The second suspect, later identified as Emanuel Griffin (also of Alto) fled into a wooded area west of the school.
Emanuel Griffin
Wilburn Thacker
A staging area was established at the Douglass School and officers set a wide perimeter around the area west of F.M. 225 in Douglass. Tracking dogs from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and a DPS helicopter were summoned to assist in the search. At approximately 9:00 A.M. Emanuel Griffin was located and arrested in a densely wooded area adjacent to State Highway 21 between Douglass and Alto.
The vehicle that had been driven by the suspects was towed to the Sheriff’s Office where a search warrant was executed on the vehicle. That search revealed burglary tools, as well as rolled coins and a teller stamp that had been stolen from the bank. Officers have also linked the Griffin suspect to the first burglary and are pursuing information that may lead to additional arrests in that case.
We were glad to have solved these crimes and we appreciate the assistance my office received from the law enforcement community and the public. Assisting the Sheriff’s Office in this search were the following agencies: Texas Highway Patrol, Texas Rangers, Nacogdoches Police Department, Constable’s Office-Pct. 1, Alto Police Department and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Thomas Kerss, Sheriff
Nacogdoches County
I am looking for Sheriff Thomas Kerss, please this is in association to some ppl that made his life a living pain, we need help here in S.C. thank you.
Gotcha criminal masterminds.
Two more pieces of crap off the street. Way to go Deputy Curtis!
Thank you for your kind words of praise for my wonderful husband. We’re so blessed every night he makes it home in one piece. The praise you have given is much appreciated. :)
People like your husband and Bridges and Kerss are what makes this wonderful town as great as it is.
I am looking for Thomas Kerss( sheriff). I live in SC. We are having some trouble with a couple of ppl that you tried to help and they turned on you. (Culler family) please get in contact with me.
Ben Curtis had a long term affair with Becky Sepulvado
And at times some adult things would happen in his patrol car at that time was car # 74 He talks about drunk driving but driving down Hwy 204 kissing and rubbing on each other’s privite body parts as he drove I would think that would be just as dangerous if not more than driving drunk they continued this until they got to Ben’s house and they went in and finished the adult things that they started in the car. Both Ben and Becky was on duty as they was supposed to be working at the Xpoe Center do to the storm coming in from the coast. At other times some of these adult things went on in his patrol car
Ben Curtis was a on duty deputy when most of this took place.
Good job Sheriff Kerss and to everyone involved.
Got them!