MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — A Montgomery County man faces multiple felony charges after investigators say he damaged or destroyed eight flock surveillance cameras, including two owned by Lowe's.
Robert Taylor West, 44, was taken into custody Sunday evening following a joint investigation by the Mt. Sterling Police Department and Winchester Police.
The Mt. Sterling Police Department first received notification of a damaged FLOCK camera on Aug. 15, 2026. Since then, a total of eight cameras were destroyed or tampered with in Montgomery County — six belonging to the police department and two privately owned by Lowe's.
On Sept. 20, 2026, investigators with both agencies discovered a total of nine cameras had been destroyed overnight across Montgomery County and Clark County. The agencies teamed up and began a joint investigation.
Using nearby security cameras and FLOCK license plate readers, investigators identified a suspect. Around 6:40 p.m., investigators and officers executed a search warrant at 201 S. Queen St. and took West into custody without incident.
During the search, investigators located the clothing worn, tools used, the vehicle used, and other identifiable evidence linking West to the crimes.
In Montgomery County, West faces the following charges:
- Eight counts of Criminal Mischief — 1st Degree
- Six counts of Obstructing Governmental Operations
Charges from Clark County are being addressed by Winchester Police and possibly other jurisdictions, as the investigation is ongoing.
Mt. Sterling Police Chief Aaron Sterling shared the following statement:
We appreciate the thoughtful feedback and questions that the public has submitted surrounding the FLOCK system.
Unfortunately, there has been a constant stream of false information about FLOCK being shared on many social media platforms. As a result, we have made it a point to share factual information about this system in as many different ways as possible. Our department has shared information on the radio, through the local press, and at city council meetings.
Most importantly, we have shared this information through individual one on one conversations with many concerned citizens.
We appreciate those who have taken the time to have a conversation with us about the FLOCK system, and whether they agree with us or not, understand and appreciate our position about the usefulness of this system in our efforts to protect and serve our community.
As Chief, I have truly seen the value of this system, and am thankful that this tool of law enforcement has been used nationwide to help locate missing elderly and dementia patients; locate missing children; and identify the locations of sexual offenders, drug traffickers, and dangerous felons. Providing safety and security in our community is our top priority, and with FLOCK, we have the ability to help safeguard this community that we all love, against all identified threats.
To those we faithfully serve who may question this system, please be assured that we have internal safeguards and audits in place to ensure that the information gathered is not mis-used. Audits of our use are conducted monthly, and any mis-use of the system by one of our officers will result in disciplinary action and could be grounds for termination.
We are blessed to live in an amazing country, and we respect and cherish all of the rights granted to us by the Constitution. Everyone has a right to agree or disagree with the manner of which we provide public safety. However, our agency will not tolerate destruction of public or private property as an acceptable form of debate.
We respectfully ask that the community continue to reach out to us if you have any questions about our agency, our officers, or our use of FLOCK. We serve you, and we appreciate your input and sharing of any ideas that you may have on how we can make our community a safer place. We are as proud of this community as you are, and we want nothing more than to partner together to make our community be the best that is possibly can be. Thank you to those who continue to treat our officers with kindness, compassion, and respect. Please phone me at (859) 498-8899 if I can help answer any questions.
This is a developing story, so check back with LEX18.com for updates. Email the LEX18 Newsroom if you have info, photos or videos to share.
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