Two men were arrested Friday in connection with the theft of a backhoe bucket owned by Buck Ledford and a trailer full of lawn care equipment owned by County Commissioner Greg Brooks. Joshua Maynard of Conasauga and Larry Neil McKinney of Cleveland have both been charged with Theft over $10,000 and Theft under $500. The equipment was taken from the property of Curtis Hill in Old Fort.

According to Detective Dennis Waters of the Polk County Sheriff’s Department, the backhoe bucket was taken last Thursday evening and the lawn care equipment was taken in the early morning hours on Friday. Waters said after talking with Hill, he went to the home of Maynard and received consent to search from Maynard’s wife, who said he had gone to Hardee’s. Meanwhile, Det. Waters said, Deputy Pete Roberts went to the home of McKinney where both men were.

Det. Waters said when he arrived at the home of McKinney he noticed something looked out of place near a power line on the back of the property. He said he walked to the area and was able to locate the trailer of lawn care equipment, which included lawn mower, leaf blowers and weedeaters. The backhoe bucket was later recovered at the home of Maynard’s father on Freeman Circle.