Crossville Airport Security Videos raise questions about sign theft incident on September 30

The morning of September 30 has already lead to theft charges against two people with connections to the city of Crossville. Crossville water resources director Jerry Kerley and William Harwell, identified as his accomplice in the alleged theft of political signs from a yard at Mockingbird Drive and Iris Circle both face misdemeanor theft charges with an initial court date of October 31.

According to airport manager Chris Bennett, William Harwell works at the Crossville Memorial Airport.

Jerry Kerley and William Harwell were established as suspects by the district attorney general's office in the theft of political signs criticizing Crossville city councilman Jesse Kerley after a neighbor captured part of the incident on video with his cell phone. The neighbor then followed the truck until he could get a license number and the truck turned out to be registered to Jerry Kerley, a white 2008 crew cab pickup.

Security videos from the Crossville memorial airport show some surprising activities and it appears the two men left from the airport just after 9 AM and drove toward Crossville. The truck returned to the airport about 16 minutes later and drove out on the tarmac in front of the large hanger and out of range of the security cameras. The truck returned to the camera view after about 4 minutes and parked beside the airport terminal building and you can see Mr. Kerley get out of the truck and walk toward the building. Kerley's truck remains parked next to the terminal until at least 10 AM.

District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway has confirmed that the stolen signs from Blankenship's yard were recovered at the airport in what Dunaway described as a storage building.

The security videos also show interesting activity prior to the two men leaving the airport then returning. At 8:48 according to the video's time stamp, two pickup trucks drove into the airport from the direction of Crossville, the white pickup that belong to Jerry Kerley and a gray Dodge Ram pickup that is owned by airport manager and fixed base operator Chris Bennett. Bennett's truck drives around the corner of the airport terminal building then out on the tarmac while Kerley's truck parks in front of the terminal and he goes inside.

After a little over 20 minutes, Kerley and the same man shown in the video made by the neighbor based on the charges filed, appears to be William Harwell wearing the same clothes and white ball cap come out the front door of the terminal building, get into Kerley's white truck and they leave the airport and the truck turns toward Crossville.

Other questions that remain include that based on Jerry Kerley's time sheet for the week all this activity was done on city time.  His time sheet shows 8 hours or a full day of work on September 30.  Between 8:45 and at least 10 AM, Kerley is at the airport or caught on video at the Mockingbird Drive house.  

Jerry Kerley's time sheet for the date in question

To date no disciplinary action of any kind has been taken against Mr. Kerley by the city manager.

Link to previous story that includes video shot by neighbor.

Timeline of airport security video (The time stamp is 5 minutes fast so each time stamp is five minutes off. 8:48 is actually 8:43 AM)

8:48 AM: Jerry Kerley's truck turns into the airport from the direction of Crossville followed by the gray Dodge truck owned by Crossville airport manager and FBO Chris Bennett. Kerley parks in front of the terminal building and goes inside while Bennett's truck goes toward the main hanger at the airport.

Kerley's and Bennett's trucks arrive at the airport

Jerry Kerley and Chris Bennett arrive at the airport

8:49 AM: Kerley goes in the front door of the terminal while Chris Bennett and William Harwell come in the door from the tarmac where Bennet parked.  It appears the two men rode together.

Bennett's truck drives toward tarmac

Bennett's truck enters secure area tarmac

Bennett and Harwell enter terminal a short time later

9:12 AM: Jerry Kerley and the other suspect William Harwell come out of the front door of the terminal and go to Kerley's truck and get in.

Kerley and Harwell get in Kerley's truck

9:13 AM: Kerley's white truck drives down the drive way and turns toward Crossville.

Kerley's truck heads out of the airport

Not time stamped, but sometime shortly after 9 AM suspects are caught on tape preparing to leave the property at Mockingbird Drive.

9:29 AM: Kerley's truck returns to the airport from the direction of Crossville, drives in front of the terminal building, around the corner and through the open gate onto the tarmac. The truck turns in front of the hanger and goes out of camera view.

Kerley's truck returns to the airport

Kerley's truck turns at side of terminal

Kerley's truck enters secure area tarmac.

9:33 AM: The truck drives out of the secure area of the airport and parks on the side of the terminal. Jerry Kerley gets out of the truck and goes inside the side door of the terminal.

Door of Kerley's truck as he gets out

Kerley walks to Terminal

10:00 AM: Kerley's truck remains parked in the space on the side of the terminal building.

The video ends here 

Eye witness video shot of Kerley's truck at Mockingbird Drive house.

Raw security videos from the Crossville airport:

Security cam in front of terminal

Close up shot of airport parking lot entrance at end of driveway.

Airport security cam at corner of terminal building.

Security camera at entrance to airport secure area