A suspect has been arrested in a large Bowie County stolen equipment case from 2018, and about $86,000 in property has been recovered.
Justin Paul Cobb, 36, was arrested on a charge of theft over $30,000 and under $150,000, according to a news release from the Bowie County Sheriff's Office. Cobb is in the Bi-State jail and his bond has been set at $100,000, according to the news release.
Bowie County Sheriff's Office Investigator David Biggar met Monday with Morris County sheriff's deputies on County Road 4301 in Naples, Texas. Morris County deputies had been dispatched to the location in response to a GPS beacon that was attached to a recently stolen excavator. Deputies arrived to find numerous pieces of equipment hidden on the property. Biggar confirmed four pieces of equipment were stolen from Bowie County, authorities said. All of the pieces were stolen in December 2018 and were part of an extensive list of property taken from resident Anthony Cooper.
Biggar spoke with the Morris County property owner regarding the stolen equipment. The property owner was identified as Cobb. Cobb's explanation for possessing the stolen equipment was not credible. As a result, a warrant was issued for his arrest and the following pieces of equipment were recovered and returned to the rightful owner:
- Kubota brand skid steer tractor-valued at $70,000.00
- Big Tex brand 32-foot gooseneck trailer valued at $12,000.00
- Land Pride brand pallet forks valued at $1000.00
- Bobcat brand auger valued at $3,000.00
The total value of property recovered is about $86,000.00.
Investigators also recovered numerous other pieces of equipment that had been reported stolen from surrounding jurisdictions.