Joint county investigation leads to arrest in $40,000 property theft case

A joint investigation by Butler and Stoddard county officials led to an arrest Wednesday in the theft of more than $40,000 worth of property.

The Stoddard County Sheriff's Office received a report Dec. 20, of a stolen trailer and farm equipment from rural Stoddard County. During the investigation, deputies executed a search warrant on County Road 284, recovering a stolen John Deere tractor valued at approximately $32,000 and a camping trailer valued at approximately $10,050. The investigation identified Jeremy A. Hicks, 35, of Wappapello, as the suspect in these thefts. However, Hicks was not located at the time of the recovery.

Arrest and Charges

Hicks had an active, no-bond warrant for his arrest in Stoddard County for a probation violation. A joint investigation with Butler County deputies led to Hicks's arrest in Butler County on Wednesday. He is currently held in Butler County jail on local charges and the following Stoddard County charges: Class D felony probation violation and two counts of Class C and Class D felony receiving stolen property, all with no bond.