Posted Thursday, October 15, 2009 --- 10:56 p.m.

Release from the Sauk Co. Sheriff’s Office:

On October 14, 2009, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office and the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department recovered three pieces of stolen heavy equipment with the assistance of the Wisconsin State Patrol. Information received by the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office led law enforcement officers to a location in rural Vernon County, outside Hillsboro, WI.

On June 8, 2009 a John Deere, 310G, backhoe and loader was taken from a construction site at a location outside of La Valle, WI in the Township of Ironton, Sauk County. On August 10, 2009 in the Township of Spring Green at the construction site on the Hwy 14 bridge a John Deere 450 Dozer was stolen. Then on September 8, 2009, a Caterpiller Skid Loader and bucket was stolen from the construction site on Hwy 12 in the Township of Delton. The total value of the equipment stolen was approximately $145,000.00.

As a result of the recovery of this equipment, Lucas Winchel, age 22, of Hillsboro, WI was taken into custody by the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office on three counts of Receiving Stolen Property and a warrant. The investigation is continuing by the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office and the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office. The agencies were assisted by Hillsboro Equipment in picking up the stolen items.