Two Crossville men were charged with burglary after Monterey Police caught them allegedly loading copper, aluminum and other items from a tavern that has been closed for months on Hwy. 70 N.

During the arrest, one of the suspects reportedly growled at the K-9 officer who was arresting him, The Hilltop Express reported.

Charged with burglary in the incident were Crossville residents Michael Casey Almonrode, of Pinewood Dr., and Robert Duane Hicks, of Yvonne Rd.

According to the police reports, Monterey Police K-9 Officer Larry Bates and his dog Rufus were on routine patrol when he received information from Monterey Police Detective Sgt. Jackie McQuistion that someone had pulled behind Buck’s Tavern, on Hwy. 70 N. The business has been closed for a long time.

When the officer arrived around 11:24 a.m. last Monday morning, he found the owner of the property sitting in his car next to the building. He told the officer that two men had entered his store and were loading up things from his building.

Officer Bates reported a small red truck backed up to the rear door entrance, which was open. He noticed air conditioning parts, copper, aluminum and other items in the bed of the truck.

As he entered the back door, he alleged in his report that he heard movement inside and two men attempted to flee from the front door. Upon seeing Detective Sgt. McQuistion, the two attempted to climb into a hole in the ceiling area. Officer Bates told the suspects to come out or he would release his police dog, Rufus. The two then jumped down. Officer Bates alleged it was Robert Hicks that started to “growl” at him. He told the suspects that if they tried anything he would shoot them and they complied.

Since the old tavern is located outside the city limits, the case was turned over to Putnam County Sheriff's Investigator Michael Hoover for further investigation.