The Miami County Sheriff's Office recovered nearly $20,000 in stolen property during two separate and unrelated investigations conducted over the past several days.
The first investigation began on July 22, 2026, when the Miami County Sheriff's Office took a report of a stolen Grasshopper lawn mower valued at more than $4,000.
While on patrol on July 23, 2026, a Deputy developed information that the stolen lawn mower was located at a residence in the 32300 block of W. 379th Street in rural Miami County. On July 24, 2026, Deputies recovered the stolen lawn mower from the residence.
That investigation remains ongoing, and formal charges are expected to be submitted upon completion of the investigation. As with all criminal investigations, any suspect identified is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Later on July 24, 2026, shortly after 3:00 p.m., the Miami County Sheriff's Office received an Attempt to Locate (ATL) from the Cass County Sheriff's Office regarding a vehicle believed to be traveling into Miami County after a theft in Cass County, Missouri.
Deputies located the suspect vehicle in the 300 block of E. Shawnee Street in Paola. As deputies attempted to make contact with the suspect, he fled into a detached garage and barricaded himself inside. Deputies confirmed that items located in the vehicle and an attached trailer had been stolen from the Cass County victim.
After a brief period, the suspect, Benjamin R. Falk, 51, of Paola, Kansas, exited the detached garage and was taken into custody without incident. During the investigation, Deputies discovered additional stolen equipment inside the detached garage and recovered those items as well.
In total, Deputies recovered approximately $15,800 worth of stolen equipment from the vehicle, trailer, and garage.
Falk was booked into the Miami County Jail on the following charges:
K.S.A. 21-5801(a)(1) – Theft of Property
K.S.A. 8-113 – Identity of Vehicle; Unlawful Acts
Additional charges are expected in Cass County, Missouri. As with all criminal cases, Falk is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Miami County Sheriff's Office extends its appreciation to the Kansas Department of Corrections officers assigned to the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force for their assistance during the first investigation. We also thank the Paola Police Department for their assistance during the second investigation and the Cass County Sheriff's Office for their partnership and cooperation.
These investigations highlight the importance of collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement partners. Working together, these agencies recovered nearly $20,000 in stolen property in just two days while continuing to hold offenders accountable and return stolen property to its rightful owners.
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