Davenport man in custody after theft of propane tanks at Dollar General store

A 51-year-old Davenport man was in custody Saturday after police say he and two other people stole seven propane tanks from a Dollar General store in Davenport, according to court records.

Jerry Gross faces a felony charge of third-degree burglary and an aggravated misdemeanor charge of third-degree theft, court records show.

Shortly after 8 a.m. Nov. 27, a Davenport Police officer responded to the Dollar General store at 2350 Rockingham Road for the report of a theft, arrest affidavits show. The officer met with the manager, who provided the officer with security footage of the business.

According to affidavits, the footage shows that at about 4:25 a.m. Nov. 27, a man and two other people “acted in concert” when when they arrived at the store, which was closed for business, and used bolt cutters to cut the chain and padlock off the propane tank storage cage just outside the store. Seven propane tanks were removed from the cage and taken from the property.

The suspects were identified by police during later calls for service while they were wearing the same clothing worn during the burglary and theft from Dollar General, affidavits say. Five propane tanks were recovered from the defendants during a later call for service involving a theft and trespass.

The value of the seven propane tanks is $449.46 and the approximate cost to replace the damaged lock chain is $20, according to affidavits.

A criminal history inquiry disclosed that Gross has at least two prior theft convictions out of Scott County, court records show.

Gross, who was in custody Saturday in Scott County Jail, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 27 in Scott County Court.

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