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Richland County suspect drags stolen backhoe shovel on highway behind car

Kenneth Steagall entered a plea of not guilty to theft in Mansfield Municipal Court

MANSFIELD - A Shelby man brought stolen equipment - a backhoe shovel - to be scrapped at a local recycling facility in a very public and unusual manner, according to local authorities. 

The shovel or bucket, which apparently had been stolen from the parking lot of the Mansfield Motor Group, 1493 Park Avenue West, was drug behind his car from Mansfield to Milliron's Recycling on Ohio 39.

Credit: Submitted

Kenneth W. Steagall, 51, of 123 Mansfield Ave., Shelby, chained the equipment behind his Chevy Cavalier and drug it down the highway, which was captured on video by a man, before the man knew the item belonged to his company, according to the Mansfield Police Department report.

Credit: Submitted

Ontario Police Department told Mansfield police about the vehicle driving with the equipment part attached to it and that the vehicle pulled into Milliron's and the suspect driver was identified, according to the report. All evidence was submitted to the crime lab.

According to Shelby Police Department's Facebook page, Capt. David Mack located the vehicle. The suspect denied the theft entirely until he was confronted with the overwhelming evidence, which elicited a full confession, according to Shelby police Chief Lance Combs.

Steagall entered a plea of not guilty to theft in Mansfield Municipal Court on Tuesday and was ordered a $10,000 personal recognizance bond, according to court records. He remains in the RIchland County Jail.

lwhitmir@nncogannett.com

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