A homeowner in the 2200 block of Copper Creek Court near
Wentzville thought he was being fiscally responsible when on March
9 he listed an infrequently used Bomag gasoline compactor for sale
on Craigslist. Nor did he think his $1,000 price tag was
excessive.

So when calls started flowing in response to the ad, he answered
all caller questions, including one from an individual who wanted
to know the compactor manufacture’s serial number. That information
also was provided.

The caller then called back with news that the equipment was
stolen from General Rental Center in Springfield. That’s when the
man contacted the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department.

The compactor, which the owner obtained from a relative, was
sold to the relative a year earlier at a construction job site in
Ozark, according to the sheriff’s department. That’s about the same
time the item was reported stolen from the rental center. Neither
man suspected the device was stolen, and both were fully
cooperating with the investigation, according to the sheriff’s
department.

The equipment has since been seized and is to be returned to
Springfield.

The incident report does not list the identity of the caller who
first determined the equipment was stolen or how he determined it
was stolen.

To read more incident reports from the St. Charles County
Sheriff’s Department, click
here.