Authorities locate equipment with altered VIN tags

Two Cape Girardeau County men have been arrested in connection with the theft and possible resale of stolen equipment.

The arrests led to the recovery of some heavy equipment and trailers that had their Vehicle Identification Numbers removed, and in some cases new VIN tags installed. Lt. David James of the Cape Girardeau Sheriff's Department said more arrests are expected.

"A lot of the stuff we recovered is only the tip of the iceberg," James said. "We have a couple of people in mind; we will be looking really hard at those people we already got."

The sheriff's department and Cpl. Perry Hazelwood of the Missouri State Highway Patrol began their investigation in July after tracing some alleged stolen equipment to Rowland Custom Trailers near Fruitland, a recently opened business owned by Todd Rowland, 35, of Jackson. There they seized a stolen John Deere tractor and a stolen 16-foot construction trailer. Neither had a VIN.

Authorities arrested Rowland July 28. He was initially charged with one count of receiving stolen property and posted a $15,000 bond.

Rowland was arrested again Monday, James said, for one class C felony of removing or defacing the manufacturer's VIN from construction equipment, and four class D felonies of possession or sale of equipment with altered VIN tags. Authorities seized other items from Rowland's business believed to be stolen and altered. Rowland posted $25,000 cash bond and was released.

On Aug. 20, James said, authorities arrested James Hendrix, 31, of Fruitland, who had in his possession a 7-by-12- foot black hydraulic dump-bed trailer reported stolen from St. Louis. The VIN on the trailer had been removed and a new VIN installed. Hendrix was charged with one count of possession of equipment with a VIN number removed or defaced, a class D felony. His bond was set at $25,000.

Warrants pendingCape Girardeau authorities also applied for more warrants charging him with possession of additional stolen items which were recovered from his residence. James said that Hendrix faces warrants from Jefferson and Ste. Genevieve counties as well as from Warren County for distribution of methamphetamine. Hendrix remains in the Cape Girardeau County Jail. His bond is $25,000; the bond in Warren County is $50,000, James said.

The two arrests are believed to be related.

Rowland opened his custom trailer business within the last few months. He is the former owner of Express Cycle and ATV Repair on North Kingshighway. In 1991 he was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property. In 1992 he pleaded guilty to selling a motorcycle with an altered VIN.

James said the sheriff's department and law enforcement agencies across Missouri receive reports almost daily of equipment and trailers stolen from construction sites. Expensive tractors, backhoes and other heavy equipment are taken, the identification numbers removed, and new numbers are attached, making it nearly impossible to trace the stolen machinery. The equipment is sold at heavily discounted prices, making it attractive to construction business owners who are unaware that the equipment was stolen and the VINs have been falsified.

"It's hard to identify construction equipment unless the contractors are familiar with the numbers," James said.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160