Second sentenced in April farm thefts

Published 10:09 am Tuesday, September 18, 2012

The second of two Glenville men who helped steal and pawn farm machinery from rural Austin was sentenced Friday in Mower County Court

Todd Duane Oakland, 47, was sentenced to five years’ supervised probation and 40 hours’ community service for felony theft. His accomplice, Titus John Weedman, 31, was previously convicted of felony theft and sentenced to five years’ supervised probation and 100 hours of community service. In all, they must pay $9,300 restitution.

According to the court complaint, residents northwest of Austin on 20th Avenue saw a truck driving by their home several times between March 29 and April 3 with heavy equipment, such as a manure spreader and other farm machinery totaling more than $1,500.

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A homeowner followed the truck and gave sheriff’s deputies directions; however, the truck escaped at high speed.

A trail camera posted after the first theft caught the truck entering and leaving the abandoned property several days later with more machinery. Freeborn County deputies identified the truck as Weedman’s. Authorities later found the items at Wild Horse Trading Inc. in Kensett, Iowa, where the business owner said Weedman and Oakland often do business.