Michael Lee Leming
A Soddy Daisy couple reported a theft at their residence netted thieves over $56,000 in items.
The couple said the thieves may have picked their residence because they posted on Facebook that they were vacationing in Gatlinburg.
Michael Lee Leming, 42, has been arrested in the case. However, only $10,600 of the stolen items were recovered.
Leming is from Dunlap, but was living on Morningside Drive in Soddy Daisy with an uncle at the time of the break-in.
Deputies were dispatched on Sept. 3 to a residence on Yaphank Road. The couple said they found their residence had been entered after they returned from their weekend trip.
Items taken included $500 in gold coins, $800 in change, a $500 Bose Wave radio clock, a safe containing a $4,000 diamond wedding set, a $3,300 diamond wedding band, a $2,800 pair of diamond earrings and a $3,500 diamond anniversary band, $400 cash, $800 in savings bonds, a $500 box of jewelry, several large TVs, a $6,000 camera, $4,600 in camera lenses, and many other items.
The couple later told authorities they had spotted their stolen Canon camera lenses posted on the site "Let Go." The seller was Sarah Marie Brooks of Soddy Daisy.
Investigators said Ms. Brooks admitted that she and her boyfriend, Michael Brandon Ruffner, stole the lenses from their friend, Michael Leming from where he was staying at 113 Morningside Dr.
Carl Edward Leming said his nephew had been staying there for six months, but he had recently kicked him out. Investigators checked out the bedroom where he had been staying and located the $10,600 in stolen items from the couple. Several large TVs were among the items in the bedroom.
Still missing are the jewelry and the professional-grade camera.