Officers alerted when suspects try to sell stolen mower to owner's son

LINN COUNTY - Officers with the Linn County Sheriff's Office were called to Wes' Recycling on Wednesday, Sept. 23, when owner Wes Ungeheuer was handling a purchase of scrap metal and junk and recognized a mower on the pile as being one belonging to his father.

When deputies arrived on scene, one male suspect fled on foot while officers subdued another male suspect and a female suspect.

Backup was called in, including the Kansas Highway Patrol's air patrol plane, and a search

ensued for the other male suspect, but the man was able to elude the officers.

"Deputy Mark Hochhalter and Chief Detective Gary Stone knocked on doors in that area, alerting residents that the man was in the area and may possible be looking for transportation. They advised residents to keep their vehicle locked and secured.

Officers were able to determine that the suspects had first stopped at Morse's Auto Salvage trying to sell their load of copper and metal scraps, but that business wasn't interested and directed them to Wes' Recycling.

Along the way, the suspects apparently happened upon a riding lawn mower in the ditch with a ‘For Sale' sign on it, and they allegedly stopped and added it to their cache of metals to sell.

"When Mr. Ungeheuer recognized his father's lawn- mower on the pile, he called us," said Sheriff Barry Walker.

Early Thursday morning, Sept. 24, the Sheriff's officer received a report that a vehicle had been stolen from the Casey's parking lot at Mound City.

According to Walker, the LCSO obtained a description of the individual that matched the one from the previous day's incident at Wes' Recycling.

An all points bulletin (APB) was issued for the stolen vehicle, a 1987 Jeep Wrangler, as well as an APB and an arrest warrant for the suspect.

On Friday, Sept. 25, Walker received word from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office that the Jeep had been found there, apparently abandoned.

Fingerprints were taken from the vehicle and on Saturday, Sheriff Walker and Chief Detective Stone returned the vehicle to its owner, L.M. Krull of rural Mound City.

"Thank you," Krull told Walker when he handed him his keys, "I figured it'd be chopped up in pieces and sold."

"I wasn't in there but a minute," Krull told Walker, "Just as I opened the door I thought I heard it take off - I know the sound of it."

Another customer told Krull he'd seen a man jump in the Jeep and take off and Krull promptly reported the theft.

The male and female suspects arrested at Wes' Recycling on Wednesday are currently out on bond.

The male suspect that fled the scene remains at large and an arrest warrant has been issued.