Denton detectives arrested a man they say used information gained as a trusty at the county jail to return after his release and steal a $10,000 mower and a $5,000 trailer from the county.

Detectives Craig Fitzgearld and Terry Brooks arrested Randall Stephens, 46, about mid-afternoon Friday on a charge of felony theft.

Stephens pleaded guilty to theft over $1,500 and under $20,000 March 28 and was sentenced to six months in jail. He worked on a trusty mowing team, Curtis said. Stephens learned the county kept mowers at a building in the 300 block of North Loop 288.

He was released April 4. The mower and trailer were stolen from inside the locked fence sometime during the week of April 7-14. According to a county crime report, someone cut the lock to get inside.

Curtis said that sheriff’s Investigator Don Britt was working the case and obtained information that Stephens was involved in the theft. Later, Curtis received information from the dealership that sold the mower that a man was trying to buy an ignition for it.

“We contacted that man, and he told us he bought it at McDonald’s from a man for $1,500,” Curtis said. “He had a bill of sale with Stephens’ name as the seller.”

The buyer showed detectives where he picked up the mower, which was a house on Kerley Street in Denton. The detectives obtained permission to search the property.

“We found the trailer stolen with the mower,” Curtis said. “And we found another trailer that had been reported stolen just that morning.”

Sheriff Benny Parkey said he was grateful for the cooperation between the two agencies that resulted in the recovery of the expensive equipment.

“We have a good cooperative relationship with all the agencies in Denton County,” Parkey said. “But because so many of us at the sheriff’s office have worked within the Denton department at one time, we have a special relationship with them. This is a good example of the kinds of things working together can accomplish.”

Other reports

500 block of Londonderry Lane — Police responded about 2 a.m. when a man called to report that someone was pouring something in his neighbor’s gasoline tank and had slashed four tires on the vehicle. A nearby car also had slashed tires.

Officers found the suspect sitting in a car next to the damaged vehicles. The male victim with the slashed tires came out and shouted at the suspect, asking him why he did it.

The man replied it was because the victim was sleeping with his fiancee.

Roundup

From 7 a.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Friday:

Denton police handled 284 service and officer-initiated calls, including one vehicle burglary, 11 thefts, four cases of possession of marijuana, four reports of criminal mischief, one charge of unlawfully carrying a weapon, one case of failure to identify as a fugitive, two burglaries, two assaults, two reports of harassment and one case of furnishing alcohol to a minor.

Denton County sheriff’s dispatchers handled 345 service and officer-initiated calls for the agencies they serve. Forty-six people were booked into county jail. Deputies took reports of one case of a prohibited substance in a correctional facility, one assault, one theft and one burglary.

Denton firefighters responded to 15 medical calls, two traffic accidents, three smoke investigations, one request to assist an invalid, one alarm, one grass fire, one hazardous condition and four electrical malfunctions.

Aubrey firefighters responded to one smoke investigation.

Pilot Point firefighters responded to two medical calls.

Argyle firefighters responded to one traffic accident and two alarms.

Double Oak firefighters responded to one alarm.

Corinth firefighters responded to two medical calls and one electric malfunction.

Ponder firefighters responded to one electrical malfunction and one downed power line.

Oak Point firefighters responded to two medical calls.

Argyle firefighters responded to one request for mutual aid.

Krum firefighters responded to one fire.

Sanger firefighters responded to one alarm and one traffic accident.

DONNA FIELDER can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her e-mail address is dfielder@dentonrc.com.

Denton County Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in these or other crimes. Callers will remain anonymous.