Grand jurors indict Pioneer man in thefts

1/23/2004

BRYAN — A Pioneer, Ohio, man has been indicted by a Williams County grand jury in connection with the theft of several pieces of construction equipment.

Stephen Humphrey, 43, faces one count each of grand theft

and of vandalism, two counts of theft, and three counts of receiving stolen property.

Mr. Humphrey was arrested just before Christmas by sheriff's deputies after a joint investigation with the Bryan police and Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers.

At that time, the sheriff's office said investigators charged Mr. Humphrey with the theft of a backhoe valued at $50,000 and two utility trailers each valued at $3,000.

During a search of Mr. Humphrey's residence, investigators recovered one of the utility trailers and two other pieces of equipment valued at $26,970.

A $50,000 backhoe, reported stolen from a job site within the village, was recovered in a barn elsewhere in the county.