PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A Bridgewater man was convicted on Friday on a charge connected to a joy ride he took on equipment owned by a logging company.
According to a statement Sunday from the Maine Forest Service, Louis Finemore, 27, pleaded guilty to theft by unauthorized use of property in Presque Isle District Court.
Forest service Lt. Bill Greaves said that Finemore had obtained an equipment key and used it to drive a skidder and a delimber at an operation on the Number 9 Road in Township D Range 2. The pieces of equipment were parked at an active logging operation and were owned by Robin Crawford Logging Co. of Lincoln.
Greaves said the agency began investigating several complaints of logging vandalism and thefts of Aroostook County logging equipment before the incident with Finemore. Greaves said that forest rangers had been conducting surveillance operations on several of the areas having problems. It was during this surveillance and after doing interviews with several people that Finemore became a suspect and subsequently was charged.
None of the equipment operated by Finemore was damaged. He was fined $300 for the theft.
Greaves said the department has seen a lot of success recently, catching thieves stealing batteries, fuel and tools from remote logging operations.
Ranger Steve Wipperman, the Forest Protection Division’s forensic specialist, was the lead investigator on the case. He said that charges are pending against others who are involved in a series of thefts this winter.
Hell, only 300 dollars, for that I’ll do it and maybe get some practice in and find a job, maybe. .
No damage to the machines but I wonder how much of the companies fuel he used?
$300.00?
Not a lot to do in the County..
People like him are going to ruin it for those of us that enjoy the free use of logging roads.
walk on the wild side
So now the MFS is doing surveillance. All these resources used to catch a joyrider and all that was levied was a $300. fine? Something is very wrong here. Fine should be based on the cost of the investigation, legal fees, court costs, and whatever other expenses might have been incurred.
It seems that there were more cases involved here, including some theft cases and criminal mischiefs. I am willing to bet that the officers are as disappointed as you in the fine. Does the MDEA, marine patrol and warden service get these costs back when they bust someone? Maybe it is the cost of doing business. I don’t think the other agencies get their costs reimbursed either. Maybe their work will prevent others from doing the same. Who knows. Can’t fault the forest rangers for a judge’s sentence.
They do not give the fine, the court does, what have you done to help anyone lately? maybe thanking them for their work instead of being negative would be better, or maybe you are one of those perfect people in life who could have ensured a much bigger fine because you are soooo amazing…..
Call me sweet Lou! Let’s a go put a few ‘er dem back cowboy! Good thinking bubby!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zy23pvkobU
Could he have stolen anything slower???
It all comes down to respect,something that has been lost over time
From people I’ve talked too it’s a huge risk leaving your equipment in the woods. Everything is at risk of being taken like batteries mentioned above to even a ‘skiddah’ (and yes, I know how to actually spell it) tire in one case. That’s big money for those that own the equipment. While this guy may have only been running the machinery for some fun, if he’s broken something the owner would have been out. We need to start hitting the people doing this BS with some real fines and potential jail time. For a $300 fine this guys could have gotten away with $1000’s of dollars worth of parts and fuel.
He’s lucky the owner of the machines he played with didn’t catch him, if I found someone in my skidder there wouldn’t be a story in the paper, its hard enough makeing a liveing in the woods without fools like this, theres just no respect or commen sense in some people these days.
Season 4 of American Loggers: In a desperate attempt to land a reality show of his own, Louis begins to gather the necessary logging equipment.