Johnstonville Man Arrested for Wendel Duck Club Burglary

Some of the items stolen in the burglary at the duck club in Wendel

A Johnstonville man has been arrested in connection with the theft of nearly $60,000 in equipment, all-terrain vehicles and hunting gear from a duck hunting club near Wendel, after an observant Lassen County Sheriff’s Deputy spotted a stolen generator being loaded onto a truck.

On Sunday, according to details released by Lassen County Sheriff Dean Growdon, the Dispatch Center received a call regarding a burglary at the club and a Deputy responded and made contact with several different victims who reported numerous items stolen. The total loss was estimated to be nearly $60,000.

The Deputy was able to collect evidence from the scene, which may contain the suspect’s DNA.

Early Monday afternoon a Deputy was patrolling the Johnstonville area and noticed a suspicious person at the Lassen Mobile Home Park.

“The individual was seen loading a generator onto an ATV trailer,” explains Sheriff Growdon, “and the Deputy recognized the generator as being similar to one stolen from the duck club burglary.”

The Deputy made contact with the man, identified by the LCSO as 34-year old Roger Anthony Stephens, who lives at the Lassen Mobile Home Park.

The Deputy was able to confirm the generator and the ATV trailer were both stolen in the duck club burglary and after further investigation, numerous items from the burglary were recovered on scene.

Stephens was booked into the Lassen County Jail for several felony charges including; Possession of stolen property, Grand Theft Auto and Committing a felony while out on bail for a felony.

Bail was set at $30,000.00

The Sheriff’s Office is still searching for stolen property in this case. Please be on the lookout for the following:

• Green 2017 Polaris Ranger 570 with a windshield, roof, and lumber-type rack
• Black 1995 Kawasaki Bayou 400 utility quad with a white seat
• Dark blue 2000 tandem axle utility trailer
• Red 1995 Polaris Sportsman 500 utility quad
• Five black and yellow 3500 watt Champion generators
• A large amount of duck hunting gear

The Sheriff’s Office is seeking information regarding this case. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at (530) 257-6121 or Lassen Crime Stoppers at (530) 502-TIPS.

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