Couple sentenced to prison for storage unit theft

HARTINGTON - An O’Neill couple will be serving time behind bars for their involvement in a break-in at a Randolph storage unit building. Austin Thyfault and Carol Padgett

Austin Thyfault and Carol Padgett appeared separately through web technology from the Nebraska Department of Corrections for sentencing in Cedar County last week. The two are serving time for crimes in Holt County.

Judge Bryan Meismer sentenced Thyfault to 10-15 years in prison on burglary, two counts of theft and criminal mischief in the case, and Padgett to four years and two months to six years and eight months in prison on a charge of aiding and abetting the crime. They will be eligible for release after serving half of their sentences.

According to court documents, the two were driving near Randolph when their vehicle ran out of gas, located the nearby storage units and entered them in an attempt to siphon gas from vehicles there. While there, a game camera, tools and other items were taken from the storage units and the units were also damaged. No restitution was ordered in the cases.

Both Padgett and Thyfault’s sentences are concurrent - or are served at the same time - as the sentences handed down in Holt County. Each were given credit for 238 days already spent in jail awaiting sentencing.