Staff writer
Kevin Kelsey, 51, Marion, was arrested Thursday for allegedly burglarizing city property and stealing hydrogen peroxide containers, as well as allegedly possessing drug paraphernalia.
Marion police officer Duane McCarty received information that Kelsey had the peroxide containers, which had been reported stolen by the City of Marion, in his possession.
Hydrogen peroxide is a common ingredient for making methamphetamines.
While executing a search warrant for the hydrogen peroxide containers, McCarty saw in plain view items that looked to have drug residue on them. Police obtained a second search warrant and seized several items, including a syringe and a pipe that had a substance on it which tested positive for methamphetamines.
The five-gallon hydrogen peroxide containers had been stolen from the city’s water treatment plant at 540 N. Walnut St., McCarty said.
“It was used to clean the walls of holding tanks,” he said.
Kelsey brought them to his property at 116 N. Billings St. He wasn’t home when police initially executed the search warrants, but returned while police were still on-scene and was arrested.
Marion County Sheriff’s deputies and Peabody police assisted with the search and seizure.
Initially, police had entered Kelsey’s residence with an entry team of individuals in hazardous-materials suits, in case there were harmful substances in the residence. Police also discovered chlorine powder, which McCarty said had not been reported stolen by the city.
“These were chemicals that the average person couldn’t buy,” McCarty said. “We’re still asking, the powder was probably from a swimming pool, we do not know what it was used for, or what it could be used for.”