Construction yard burglary nets Lawton man jail, $50,000 bond

A burglary of a Lawton construction company led to the arrest of the man accused of stealing a log splitter from its yard.

Westley Rene Calvert, 31, of Lawton, made his initial appearance Wednesday in Comanche County District Court where he received felony charges of second-degree burglary, grand larceny, and conspiracy to commit second-degree burglary, records indicate. Due to two prior felony convictions, he faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted of the burglary charge.

Calvert and another man were identified by security cameras of cutting and removing the locks to the walk-through gate of LUPI Construction Office, 17 SW H, around 2 a.m. Dec. 13, 2023, according to the probable cause affidavit. The video showed them take a Zolo gas-powered hydraulic bumper-pulled log splitter and attach it to the back of a Chevrolet Tahoe and drive away, Lawton Police Detective Michael Merritt stated.

The Tahoe was found at Southwest 11th Street and D Avenue and towed into impound. The owner of the Tahoe identified her SUV as being the vehicle in the security video and her passenger identified Calvert and the other man involved in the theft, the affidavit states. Crime Stoppers tips from Dec. 17 and 18, 2023, also identified Calvert, Merritt stated.

The other man identified has not been charged as of Wednesday.

Calvert has prior felony convictions in Comanche County from January 2015 and November 2017 for separate counts of knowingly receiving or concealing stolen property, records indicate.

Held on $50,000 bond, Calvert returns to court at 3 p.m. March 26 for his preliminary hearing conference, records indicate.