FORT EUSTIS, Va –
His shift began like any other day as he reported to his post at Fort Eustis' Gate 2.
While checking identification cards of inbound traffic, he noticed an older model pickup truck leaving through the gate. Upon first glance, it seemed there was trash filled in the back, but something about the truck's cargo seemed out of place.
For 221st Military Police Detachment patrolman Spc. Derrek Taylor, that situation on Feb. 28 would soon become a test of his military and police training; one that would help him solve the biggest case of his career.
In January, detectives with the Fort Eustis Military Police Department received notification from the post's civil engineers of break-ins at various housing units scheduled to be demolished or renovated by contractors in the coming months. Detectives received a tip that copper wiring had been stolen from the homes.
In total, more than $16,000 worth of copper was stolen from nearly 75 homes, and more than $100,000 in damages were caused to government property in the process. Additionally, two 200-plus-pound propellers from the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armament Command Watercraft Inspection Branch building were stolen and sold to local scrap yards.
Having received a briefing on the incident, the truck struck a nerve with Taylor. He told himself if he saw the truck again, he would be sure to ask questions and find out where he the driver was headed.
"To everyone else it probably just looked like an individual leaving with a truck full of trash," he said. "My training is what helped me realize it was out of place. I knew I needed to ask some questions if I saw the truck again."
A short time later, the same truck came back through while Taylor was still on duty.
"When he came back through, I saw he had some carpentry tools in the back similar to those you would need to remove copper," said Taylor. "I also noticed his brakes were not working very well as he had a hard time stopping, so I took this opportunity to question the individual and find out a general location of where he lived in case he needed help. I also got a full license plate number to pass on to detectives."
Taylor then turned this information over to detectives, and the case shifted gears. Security Forces Investigations Detectives Timothy Northcutt and Robert Canada were two of five detectives assigned to the case.
"Collectively, we were working about 120 overtime hours a week on top of our normal shifts for a month straight," Northcutt said. "With Taylor's tip, we were able to focus the investigation around this one individual."
Using Taylor's tip in conjunction with assistance from the Newport News and Hampton police departments, post police arrested the suspect March 9. According to the detectives, the suspect is currently awaiting felony charges to be filed in both cities, as well as by the federal district attorney at Fort Eustis.
For Taylor's actions, he received an Army Commendation Medal, and will be assigned to the Investigations section when he returns from the 11-week Military Police Investigator School.
"I always wanted to be an investigator," said Taylor. "This will give me the chance to make a bigger difference on post."
Northcutt and Canada stressed the importance to remaining vigilant, being aware of surroundings and reporting anything that may not seem right to authorities.
"No matter how big or small you think your tip may be, you will never know until you report it," said Canada. "It may be that small piece of the puzzle needed to solve a case."
This vigilance is something that has been engrained in Taylor. Ever since his time in basic combat training and advanced individual training, leaders have stressed the importance of situational awareness and attention to detail.
"When I saw the truck leaving with the materials, I knew something wasn't quite right," said Taylor. "It seemed out of place, and I remembered my training and the briefs that we had received about the copper being stolen. It's almost as if my 'spider sense' was tingling."
Detectives ask if anyone sees something that seems out of place, specifically vehicles leaving the post full of equipment or materials, to report it to the Fort Eustis Security Forces Office at 878-4555.