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Smithville resident seeks update on alleged $500,000 theft tied to photo-enforcement; chair says TBI investigating fire truck probe
Summary
Property owner Steve Cantrell asked the board for monthly updates on a theft investigation he said involved 'approximately half million dollars' and on photo-enforcement infractions; the chair said he is in weekly contact with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation about a separate fire truck probe and that investigators will determine what can be released.
Steve Cantrell, a property owner in Smithville, used the public-comment period to ask the city for two specific updates: the status of a theft investigation he said spans Texas and possibly Tennessee involving "approximately half million dollars" and a monthly report on how many photo-enforcement infractions have been detected and later dismissed.
"First would be any information that may be provided to the public on the theft investigation in Texas and possibly Tennessee on the approximately half million dollars that was stolen," Cantrell said, and he asked that the city provide a monthly update on the number of infractions detected by school-zone photo-enforcement machines and how many were dismissed after review by Chief Collins because they were outside enforceable windows or because school was not in session.
Cantrell said he was concerned about circulating misinformation on social media and that residents who received tickets may mistakenly believe enforcement is always invalid. "I ask this because I'm very concerned there's a lot of false information flowing on the Internet, specifically Facebook and others," he said.
In response, the chair provided a limited operational update on a separate criminal inquiry: "I have talked to the TBI again last week. I'm actually on the phone with them every week, getting updates," he said, adding that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the district attorney will decide when information can be released. He said the investigation team is "heavily working on it" but that the chair could not disclose details while the probe is active.
No timeline for public release or a formal commitment to provide monthly photo-enforcement statistics was made on the record. Cantrell acknowledged that some investigative details may be confidential and thanked the board for consideration.
The public-comment exchange concluded without board action; the board then moved on to its regular agenda.
