Family dog helps foil burglary in Kettering; 2 charged

Two Preble County men were indicted Tuesday after police say they pointed guns at three girls earlier this month during a burglary at a Kettering apartment before they were chased out by the family dog.

A Montgomery County grand jury indicted Blade A. Root, 18, and Keyon A. Taylor, 19, both of Lewisburg, for aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and attempt to commit aggravated burglary, each with three-year firearm specifications. They also are charged with three counts of grand theft of a firearm and theft.

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The duo is accused of entering an apartment through an unsecured window just before 4:30 a.m. Aug. 7 at The Commons at Kettering in the 2200 block of East David Road. They pointed handguns at the three girls, ages 15 and 10, and attempted to steal items, but were chased out of the apartment by a dog. The suspects ran away with a bag of chips, according to an affidavit filed in Kettering Municipal Court.

Police said Root and Taylor also matched the description of two suspects who stole guns during an Aug. 6 Oakwood burglary. The suspects left the stolen guns in a bush, which were discovered in the morning by a jogger. While the jogger was reporting the guns to police, the suspects pulled up in a black Chevrolet Impala and asked the jogger whether he had found guns.

“The citizen explained he was on the phone with the police and the suspects drove off,” a statement of facts read. “The citizen confirmed the ID through a photo lineup.”

Kettering police found Root and Taylor with the assistance of Lewisburg police.

Officers said they found two handguns at Taylor’s residence, one of which was reported stolen. Police also found clothing matching the suspects’ descriptions at both of the men’s residences.

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During an interview with Root, police said he confessed to the incidents reported in Kettering and Oakwood on Aug. 6 and 7, and that Taylor refused to talk to police, according to court records.

Root is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 2 in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. He is no longer in jail after posting a $10,000 bond set through Kettering Municipal Court, records show.

Taylor, who also was indicted Tuesday for two counts of having weapons while under disability for a prior offense of violence, is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. He pleaded guilty in August 2020 to grand theft of a firearm and burglary in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. He served 60 days in the Montgomery County Jail and was placed on five years of supervised probation, court records show.

Taylor is in the jail, where he has been held since his Aug. 7 arrest by Kettering police.