Two men were arrested Monday for alledgedly stealing a four-bottom John Deere plow worth up to $2,500 from rural Barton County. Detective Rick Popp at the Barton County Sheriff’s Office said watchful neighbors called 911 after seeing the men load the plow into a pickup, around 2:19 p.m. at NW 150 Road and NW 30 Ave.
They described the pickup, which was intercepted by two BCSO officers on NW 40 Ave.
Great Bend residents John R. Wilkinson and Rick Novotny were arrested and booked into the Barton County Jail on charges of felony theft. Novotny, who allegedly told BCSO officers he had permission to take the farm equipment, was also booked for felony obstruction. They were released after Novotny posted a $10,000 surety bond and Wilkinson posted a $2,500 surety.
Popp said the timely report from good samaritans allowed officers to recover the property.
“We couldn’t have done it without the public,” he said, adding people need to be mindful of what is going on around them and they should report suspicious behavior. Property crimes are expected to increase as the holidays approach.
Sheriff Brian Bellendir recently noted that rural burglaries happen too often and need to be stopped, as he encouraged anyone with information about a crime to call Crime Stoppers, 793-1300 or 888-305-1300.