On the morning of December 8, 2024, Chillicothe police officers issued a theft citation to a man accused of stealing alcohol from a BP gas station on North High Street.
The incident began around 9:44 a.m. when store employee alerted authorities about two men in a blue sedan, one of whom allegedly took items from the store without paying. The suspect, later identified as Kirk Birchum, returned a package of Fireball whiskey travel bottles but was accused of taking two bottles of Smirnoff Ice Raspberry from a six-pack.
Ross County Deputies pursued the vehicle after it exited the gas station and eventually stopped it in the parking lot of an IHOP restaurant on North Bridge Street. Birchum, who was in the passenger seat, initially denied taking any items, claiming he had returned the Fireball bottles at another location.
Meanwhile, the Sergeant reviewed security footage at the BP station. The video showed Birchum concealing a package of Fireball whiskey in his clothing and later removing bottles of Smirnoff Ice Raspberry from a six-pack in the beer cooler. Birchum was seen leaving the store, confronted by the employee, and then entering the blue sedan before driving off.
When confronted by Deputy, Birchum retrieved two bottles of Smirnoff Ice Raspberry from under a coat in the vehicle. He admitted to possessing the bottles but claimed he was unaware of the location of the rest of the six-pack.
Officers issued Birchum a summons for theft, setting a court date for December 19, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. The two recovered bottles were returned to the BP station.
The total value of the stolen Smirnoff Ice Raspberry was $9.99, according to a receipt provided by the store. Birchum signed the citation and was released at the scene.
