2 men charged in Cole County after house party

Prosecutors charged two men with burglary and theft after they allegedly took items from a safe during a house party.

Jefferson City police were sent to the 200 block of Eastwood Drive on Aug. 11 for an incident that happened sometime between Aug. 8 and Aug 9, according to court documents. Police say while the homeowners were away, they allowed their grandson and his friend to stay there. The two threw a party on Aug. 8, police say.

Court documents say another grandson, who is not allowed on the property, admitted to letting Jacob Gerling and Justice Pierce into the home. The second grandson told police Gerling and Pierce broke into the safe and stole several items, including guns, jewelry and silver, according to the probable cause statement.

At some point during the burglary, Pierce shot himself in the foot with a gun, court documents say.

Police say security footage from a pawnshop in Columbia shows another man selling 44 silver coins stolen from the safe. Gerling was pulled over Saturday, and one of the stolen silver coins was found in his car., according to the probable cause statement. Pierce was brought in for questioning by police where he admitted to being at the party and shooting himself in the foot, police say.

Both have been booked in the Cole County Jail. Gerling is being held on charges of first-degree burglary and being an accessory to gun theft. Pierce is jailed on charges of first-degree burglary and gun theft.

Sign up for email news alerts by clicking here