Heavy farm equipment thefts in the San Joaquin Valley were stopped by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office in California.
The group of thieves was described as “sophisticated.” The machinery, which was worth many millions of dollars, was taken across the border into Mexico.
Seven people have been arrested as part of a multi-county investigation called “Operation Tractor Pull.” They are suspected of being part of a large-scale theft ring that has affected California’s farming community.
Sheriff Mike Boudreaux says that the theft operation has caused farmers and ranchers in the area to lose a lot of money.
Boudreaux said, “This is a large-scale theft ring that affects our farmers, ranchers, and agricultural community.”
At least 24 pieces of stolen farm equipment, worth a total of $1.3 million, have been found by investigators. These include tractors, backhoes, and excavators.
But some equipment is still in Mexico and is not thought to be recoverable. The group is thought to have stolen farm equipment worth more than $2.25 million all together.
Five suspects were arrested last week after search warrants were carried out early in the morning in Tulare, Fresno, Merced, and San Benito counties. Four people were arrested: Noe Guevara, Joel Avila, Israel Garrido Cortez, and Nicolas Ruiz Cruz.
They are all being charged with grand theft, conspiracy, and having stolen property. One of the people arrested that day had not yet been named.
Other people were also arrested in connection with the case. Their names were Juan Carlos Murrufo, 22, and Endi Jesus Lopez Bustillos, 31. They were caught when police found a stolen backhoe at a Tulare truck stop.
More charges have been brought against Cortez because it is said that he ran a drug house where illegal drugs were sold.
The police said they found $46,000 in cash, two truck beds full of processed marijuana, and several guns during the operation, in addition to the stolen equipment.
Sheriff Vernon Warnke of Merced County talked about how these thefts affect more than just the people who were robbed.
“Cartels are not only involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, and gun crimes; they have now spread to our farming community, where everyone likes to go to the store and grab something to eat,” Warnke said, adding that these crimes raise the prices of fruits and vegetables for consumers.
Boudreaux talked about the problems that come up when California labels these crimes as “nonviolent.” Because of these categories, it may be hard for prosecutors to get the suspects long sentences.
“They should not go to jail for a long time because that does not make them responsible,” Boudreaux said.