For the last couple years Bates County has had a rash of farm field irrigation units being stripped of the copper wiring in the middle of the night. This crime cost the farmers over $10,000 of electrical work every time it happens and many have been victims multiple times.
The Sheriff’s Office has been working with area farmers to target those crimes. Most recently the Sheriff’s Office deployed covert technology to detect and notify the Sheriff’s Office of the crime at real time.
At 2am this morning that technology notified deputies of a person who was in the process of stripping one of the irrigation units. Deputies flooded the area and took two persons into custody while in the act of stealing the copper wire. Both a male and female were transported to the Sheriff’s Office where the investigation continue into this afternoon.
Evidence collected through the investigation has connected the two person to people in custody to multiple irrigation thefts in Bates County to exceed the total reported loss of over $100,000.
Shannon K Brundage, 7/7/82 of Harrisonville Mo (reportedly recently moved to Adrian) has been charged with 3 counts of felony property damage and one count of felony attempted theft. Bond was set at $20,000 cash or surety.
Courtney R Patterson, 10/25/1976, of Adrian Mo had been charged with 3 counts of felony property damage and one count of felony attempted theft. Bond was set at $20,000 cash or surety. The investigation continues with addition charges expand may cross many county lines.
“This crime duo has cost our farmers collectively more than $100,000 in damages. They steal from hard working people just to take the wire over to a recycling center and get Pennies on the dollar.” Says Sheriff Anderson. “We have been frustrated along with our farming community and today we hope we have brought this kind of theft to a stop in Bates County.
The Sheriff’s Office has been working with area farmers to target those crimes. Most recently the Sheriff’s Office deployed covert technology to detect and notify the Sheriff’s Office of the crime at real time.
At 2am this morning that technology notified deputies of a person who was in the process of stripping one of the irrigation units. Deputies flooded the area and took two persons into custody while in the act of stealing the copper wire. Both a male and female were transported to the Sheriff’s Office where the investigation continue into this afternoon.
Evidence collected through the investigation has connected the two person to people in custody to multiple irrigation thefts in Bates County to exceed the total reported loss of over $100,000.
Shannon K Brundage, 7/7/82 of Harrisonville Mo (reportedly recently moved to Adrian) has been charged with 3 counts of felony property damage and one count of felony attempted theft. Bond was set at $20,000 cash or surety.
Courtney R Patterson, 10/25/1976, of Adrian Mo had been charged with 3 counts of felony property damage and one count of felony attempted theft. Bond was set at $20,000 cash or surety. The investigation continues with addition charges expand may cross many county lines.
“This crime duo has cost our farmers collectively more than $100,000 in damages. They steal from hard working people just to take the wire over to a recycling center and get Pennies on the dollar.” Says Sheriff Anderson. “We have been frustrated along with our farming community and today we hope we have brought this kind of theft to a stop in Bates County.
Let this serve to the others that think this is ok, we are deploying the right technology to catch you and bring you to justice.”
Disclaimer: Arrest records are public information. Any indication of an arrest does not mean the individual identified has been convicted of a crime. All persons arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
