Stolen Crook County Fairgrounds gear recovered

(Update: Stolen equipment recovered, two teens charged)

Prineville police said the theft Saturday morning of some $18,000 worth of equipment at the Crook County Fairgrounds was solved with the arrests of two teens later that day, in time for the gear to be used at that night’s final Crooked River Roundup rodeo performance of the year.

Police said in a Facebook posting Monday that a 17-year-old male Terrebonne resident and an 18-year-old Prineville resident were charged Saturday afternoon with first-degree aggravated theft and second- and third-degree criminal mischief. The names were not disclosed.

They said the two “cooperated fully with the investigation,” allowing police officers and detectives to recover the equipment for Saturday night’s show. It was all returned in working order, except for several banners and two monitors damaged during the theft.

“Alcohol may have played a role in the decision-making of the two subjects involved,” the statement said, thanking those who helped with the investigation – “it was truly a team effort.”

Close to $18,000 worth of cameras and other gear were stolen early Saturday from the announcer stand at the Crook County Fairgrounds.

Prineville police listed on their Facebook page the type of gear stolen as two Canon H1 cameras, one Canon 105 camera, a black case containing microphones and other digital equipment, two 32-inch TV monitors, a Clear Coms Communication system and other digital equipment. The estimated loss was over $18,000.

“If you stole this equipment its imperative to us that we get it back ASAP,” a Prineville police Facebook posting stated. “I’m thinking it would be to your benefit to put the property somewhere safe and call and leave us a message on where it is so we can continue with tonight’s events like we would have been able to do prior to you stealing the equipment.”