Livingston County Sheriff's Deputy Bobby Beeler began assisting Union County authorities investigating stolen survey equipment from Union County in mid-September. Deputy Beeler and the Union County authorities subsequently identifyied 50-year-old Warren Luetke of Hampton as a suspect.
When deputies approached Luetke's Hampton residence to question him, Luetke fled. That resulted in a manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies and lasting several days, with Luetke evading capture.
In October 2022, Luetke was arrested in Clarksville, Tenn., for burglary after allegedly shoplifting at a local Wal-Mart. Luetke then was extradited to Kentucky by the Livingston County Sheriff's office, initially charged with theft of the survey equipment and drug offenses.
Deputy Beeler continued the investigation, which recently led to additional charges, including the theft of a dump truck, backhoe and pintle hitch trailer from the Livingston County Road Department in 2021.
Luetke also was charged with the theft of a side-by-side UTV from an electrical substation in Burna in 2022. He recently was indicted by a Livingston County Grand Jury for the thefts and other charges.
The Livingston County Sheriff's Office currently is working with other agencies to recover the property.
Luetke's charges include receiving stolen property $10,000 or more, trafficking in a controlled substanc- first degree/first offense, possession of burglary tools, theft by unlawful taking-$10,000 or more/ theft by unlawful takin-auto over $10,000, and criminal mischief-second degree.
Luetke remains lodged in the McCracken County Jail.
