Five suspects caught during overnight break-in at McMinn County airsoft store

SWEETWATER, Tenn. (WDEF) —  McMinn County deputies arrested five individuals early Monday morning after catching them in the act of burglarizing a local airsoft business.

Deputies were dispatched to Sweetwater Airsoft on County Road 275 around 12:30 a.m. on April 7 after a report of a theft in progress.

The business had also been burglarized the previous night.

Upon arrival, deputies found a Ford F-150 with two suspects inside.

A search of the surrounding area led to the discovery of three more suspects at the edge of the property.

The suspects were identified as Joshua Weber, 18, James Whitner, 20, Blake Fisher, 19, Paiden Davis, 24, and a 17-year-old male juvenile.

Sheriff Guy stated that Weber and the juvenile had previously visited the business and returned the night before with the others to burglarize it.

The group came back again the following night, with Weber, Whitner, and the juvenile breaking in while Davis and Fisher waited in the truck.

Deputies recovered several stolen airsoft guns and accessories that had been hidden in nearby woods or taken to the homes of Weber and the juvenile in Monroe County.

The items were located with help from Monroe County deputies and returned to the business.

Charges include:

• Joshua Weber: 2 counts of Burglary, 2 counts of Theft over $1,000 — $56,000 bond

• James Whitner: Burglary and Theft over $2,500 — $56,000 bond

• Paiden Davis: Conspiracy to Commit Burglary — $10,000 bond

• Blake Fisher: Conspiracy to Commit Burglary — $5,000 bond

• Juvenile: Charged separately in juvenile court