Video: Lee County Authorities Warn of Individuals Selling Stolen Equipment

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LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) — Authorities are on the lookout for construction and lawn care equipment that was stolen in other states and sold to people in Northeast Mississippi.

These lawn mowers, backhoes, stump grinders and other heavy duty equipment have been recovered from people throughout the Lee County area.

Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson says the items were stolen, then sold to unsuspecting people by 29 year old James Churchill. The Mooreville man is in custody in Alabama. He was arrested as the result of a joint investigation with the Woodstock Alabama Police Department and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators have recovered about 200 thousand dollars worth of stolen items so far, in one case, a piece of equipment was seized from a company doing cleanup work for tornado victims.

Sheriff Johnson says those who unknowingly bought the stolen equipment won’t face criminal charges.

“You’re not going to be in any trouble if you bought it in good faith, you paid a price that would be a normal price for that piece of product, the only thing is you’re going to be left without the product and the money you spent is going to be gone,” Johnson said. “That’s why we need you to contact us, there’s a form we will have you to fill out that we will present to the court for restitution.”

Churchill is expected to be brought to Lee County in the next 24 hours to face charges here.