A second suspect has been convicted in Grays Harbor Superior Court following the June 2022 theft of an $80,000 skid-steer loader at Oakville High School, according to a news release from the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office.
Earlier this month, Jonathan Delo, of Longview, was found guilty of first-degree theft by a jury. His accomplice, Joshua Williams, 38, of Centralia, accepted a plea deal and was convicted of second-degree theft in October 2022.
Deputies were dispatched to the high school on June 6 after a contractor notified authorities that his company’s John Deere skid-steer loader had been stolen sometime overnight.
“Deputies investigated the incident and were able to locate several pieces of circumstantial evidence at the scene to include tire impressions and shoe impressions left by the suspects,” according to the sheriff’s office. “They also interviewed witnesses who described seeing a dark-colored pickup truck parked at the location the night before with two suspicious subjects who were described as being in their mid 40s.”
While at the scene investigating, the deputies were alerted by a citizen to a suspicious skid steer loader parked in the 400 block of Williams Creek Road.
Deputies responded and located the stolen skid steer. Delo and Williams were both contacted at the residence, and both denied any knowledge about the stolen skid steer.
“The deputies were able to match the tires on a nearby vehicle with the tire impressions left at the theft scene and they also matched the shoes one of the suspects was wearing to the shoe impressions left at the theft scene,” according to the sheriff’s office.
Delo and Williams were both taken into custody and booked into jail for first-degree theft. Their vehicle and an equipment trailer that was parked at the residence was seized as evidence.
During a subsequent search of the suspects’ truck, a two-way radio that matched a radio left in the stolen skid steer was located.
“This is just a great example of the hard work our deputies put into their investigations and how we rely on the public for assistance in solving crimes,” said Chief Criminal Deputy Kevin Schrader. “If you see something, say something.”
