Moores charged with stealing competition’s signs

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

RYAN MOORE

The vice president of Supreme Building Products and his younger brother have been arrested for allegedly stealing their competition’s advertising signs.

The suspects, Ryan Moore, 23, and Reece Moore, 20, are charged with theft and are free on bond awaiting a hearing on their charges.

They were arrested this weekend after Gordon McGee Jr., secretary of Pioneer Building Supply, which is Supreme’s direct competitor, swore out warrants against the brothers. McGee said he witnessed Supreme vice president Ryan Moore taking three Pioneer site signs from a subdivision. McGee said he was conducting surveillance after 15 of the company’s site signs had disappeared in a week’s time.

“I put out three signs at the entrance of Woodland Creek Estates and drove away to observe the signs to see if anyone stole them,” McGee said. “While I was observing the signs, Ryan Moore pulled up to the signs, snatched three signs and put them in his car.”

McGee said he conducted his surveillance the day after he received a phone call from contractor Elaine Rains stating she saw Reece Moore take three Pioneer signs from the entrance of the same subdivision.

After the report from Rains, Pioneer president Amie Hodges said she called Supreme owner David Moore, father of the two suspects, and told him about the information she had received.

Hodges then threatened to take criminal charges against the suspects if the signs were not returned. According to the warrant, Ryan and Reece Moore brought the signs to Pioneer 45 minutes after the phone call.

Neither Hodges nor her brother, Gordon McGee Jr., would comment further on the incident, saying they will let the warrant and eyewitness account stand for themselves.

“Everything in there is the truth,” Hodges said regarding the warrants against the Moores.

Frank Farrar, attorney for the Moores, said his clients will plea not guilty to the charges. The Moores deferred comment to their attorney.

“We’re going to ask for a trial,” Farrar said, noting he could not ethically delve into the specifics of the case.

The crime of theft under $500 is a misdemeanor which can carry up to six months in jail and a fine, but is generally punishable by probation and a fine. The brothers are set for a hearing in general sessions court July 29.