Mississippi authorities have successfully retrieved stolen agricultural equipment worth approximately $210,000.
The recovery effort was initiated after the Mississippi Agriculture and Livestock Theft Bureau (MALTB) received a request for assistance regarding a stolen Cat 299D3 skid steer from Copiah County.
Originally reported missing by the Copiah County Sheriff’s Office, the skid steer was being utilized for clearing beetle-infested timber along highways and utility right-of-ways.
Through an intensive investigation, MALTB, in collaboration with the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, Hinds County Patrol Division, and Hinds County Emergency Operations Center, pinpointed the stolen equipment to a rural area in Hinds County.
In addition to the skid steer, a 16-foot enclosed trailer reported stolen in Hinds County the previous month, was also recovered at the scene.
The skid steer, equipped with a mulching head, is estimated to be worth $196,000, while the trailer is appraised at approximately $14,000.