BOONE COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Boone County man and a co-defendant have been arrested and charged in connection with a large-scale theft from a coal company warehouse, according to court records filed in Boone County Magistrate Court.
47-year-old Christopher Lane Priestley of Seth was arrested on Dec. 30, 2025, following an investigation into a reported break-in at a warehouse owned by Alpha Metallurgic Coal Company.
The incident is alleged to have occurred on or about Sept. 12, 2025, in the Sylvester area of Boone County.
According to the criminal complaint, Priestley and a co-defendant are accused of forcibly entering the warehouse and stealing mine breakers and related electrical components.
Investigators allege the items were removed from the warehouse, loaded into a vehicle, and transported to Priestley’s residence in Seth.
Court documents state that over the two weeks following the alleged theft, Priestley sold the stolen property through eBay and provided a portion of the proceeds to the co-defendant.
Investigators allege the two individuals worked together both before and after the theft, leading to a charge of conspiracy.
Alpha Metallurgic Coal Company officials reported that the value of the stolen property exceeded $500,000.
The complaint lists multiple felony charges against Priestley, including breaking and entering, grand larceny, receiving or transferring stolen goods, and conspiracy.
Investigators say evidence supporting the charges includes surveillance video showing two suspects committing the crime, identification of the vehicle used during the theft, interviews with the vehicle’s owner, and statements from Priestley’s girlfriend, who reportedly witnessed the stolen property being brought to the residence and later sold online. Authorities also obtained photographs of the stolen items.
Priestley was taken into custody on Dec. 30, 2025.
