State police investigating deer head theft
State police are investigating the reported theft of a trophy deer head from an area processor Monday.
Abby Hiles, 19, of Karns City filed a police report Wednesday, after the head of a 12-point buck she harvested Monday was stolen later that afternoon. The head, which featured a unique rack with a downturned brow tine on its left side, went missing Monday afternoon from Schnur's Custom Meat Market in Jefferson Township.
“At first we thought the Game Commission could help us,” Abby Hiles said.
But Game Commission officials advised her to file a report with state police, she said.
“We haven't heard anything yet,” Wanda Hiles, Abby's mother, said Thursday.
She said state police are investigating and have identified a person of interest in the case, but she did not have specific information about the investigation.
State police did not respond to multiple messages left Thursday seeking information about the case.
Shortly after the incident, photographs and screenshots of messages were circulated on social media that suggest the theft perpetrated was by an out-of-county man who has since deleted his Facebook account.
Wanda Hiles said the man did try to make contact with her to discuss the rumors, but she did not respond to him because she wanted to let police handle the matter. She said Thursday that she could offer no further information about the man.
Employees at Schnur's Custom Meat Market said they have also heard the rumors, but do not have any record that the man had business with the company.
The Hiles family has heard many rumors since the theft, and say they're waiting for clarity on why the trophy buck head went missing.
“You don't know how much of it is true,” Wanda Hiles said. “We're just hoping the police come up with something.”
Wanda Hiles said despite the involvement of the police, the family's sole priority is the head's return. She encouraged whoever has the head to at least take the head back to the processor.
“We're not interested in pressing any charges or anything,” Wanda Hiles said. “We just want the head back.”
