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Man Accused Of Stealing Firetrucks In Wagoner County Arrested

WAGONER COUNTY (KFSM) — Deputies have arrested a man they suspect stole two firetrucks from the Redbird Fire Department in late February. According to police, o...
John Lafayette Moats Jr
Man Accused Of Stealing Firetrucks In Wagoner County Arrested

WAGONER COUNTY (KFSM) — Deputies have arrested a man they suspect stole two firetrucks from the Redbird Fire Department in late February.

According to police, on Feb. 27 the Assistant Fire Chief opened the door to the fire department and notice two brush rig fire trucks were missing.

Police say two back doors to the building had been forcefully pried open to remove the trucks. The trucks are the two most used vehicles at the department.

A few days after the trucks were stolen, they were found in different counties. One of the trucks had been stripped of several important firefighting equipment.

After an undercover investigation, police arrested John Lafayette Moats Jr., 32, of Haskell Oklahoma for 2nd-degree burglary, larceny of an automobile, knowingly concealing stolen property and for operating a “chop shop.”

Moats is being held at the Wagoner County Jail on a $20,000 bond.

“It is a shock to the conscious that someone would steal fire trucks from a volunteer fire department. Those firemen use that equipment to save lives, and they do that important work for free,” said Wagoner County Sheriff Chris Elliott. “My Deputies and Investigators have been doing some good work on this case to bring those responsible to justice. It is our belief that Mr. Moats did not work alone. Saying that, I do anticipate more arrests as the investigation continues.”

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