Capitol Police Security Investments Pay Off

​CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Division of Protective Services this week utilized surveillance camera systems on the Capitol Complex to successfully identify and arraign Linda Zickefoose after observing her stealing from the purses of two Capitol visitors.

Command center staff first noted her suspicious behavior around the front steps of the Capitol as she lingered around purses that had been placed on the wall by two female, Huntington residents as they took photos. Capitol Police officers then watched her, via surveillance footage, remove items from both purses.

Immediately after, Zickefoose walked to her vehicle parked on Kanawha Boulevard where, by switching to other cameras, officers were able to follow her and capture the car’s license plate number. When a license plate registration check identified the owner, Officer Scott Duff, accompanied by a Charleston Police Department unit, drove directly to her residence.

Initially Zickefoose denied the theft, but after learning that she had been captured on video she surrendered the stolen items and provided a written confession.

Randy Mayhew, Director of the Division of Protective Services, said, “Utilizing our uniformed police officers and our video surveillance system, chances are that if you come to the Capitol intent on committing a crime you will be seen by our camera system and our officers will be quick to respond.”

Zickefoose was arrested on Aug. 10 by Capitol Police Officers Scott Duff and Evelyn Jarrett and arraigned in Kanawha County Magistrate Court, charged with two counts of petit larceny.

Contact: Heather Miles, 304-558-2930