Crossville police responded to French’s Shoes and Boots for a theft report. A male subject had stolen two display boots from the front of the business the night before. Video footage showed the male tearing off two of the boots that were screwed to the wall. Both boots were Ariat Crocodile Caymans and both are left-foot boots. Each pair of boots are valued at $500, and since the male took one of each of the set, the total valued loss is $1,000.

On 1/14/23 city police were investigating a crash on North Main Street at Genesis Road when they recognized the male subject from the video footage of the theft investigation. The male was also wearing the same clothing as the video surveillance. He was identified as 43-year-old James Michael Eller, from Decatur.

When asked where the boots were, Mr. Eller told the officer that he had thrown them back behind Village Inn. He alleged to the officers that he stole the boots and didn’t wear them before discarding them. Officers were unsuccessful in locating the two left boots.

James Eller was arrested for the theft and banned from all four of French’s Shoes and Boots.  Less than 1/2 of a gram of marijuana and methamphetamine along with a short straw was seized upon search. The contraband was destroyed with no charges pending for narcotics or narcotic equipment violations.