Worker Charged With Stealing Welding Machines From High Above Bridge

November 28, 2017

A construction company employee has been arrested for stealing two industrial welding machines that were suspended high in the air above an Oak Grove worksite.

Timothy Dain Denmon, age 33 of Crestview, was charged with felony grand theft and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail late Monday afternoon with bond set at $11,000.

Workers discovered the welding machines missing when they arrived Monday morning at the bridge construction site on North Highway 99 over Pine Barren Creek, just north of the Oak Grove Park. The welders had been suspended from a construction crane for the long Thanksgiving weekend, high above ground level.

Maj. Andrew Hobbs, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, said Denmon was employed as a crane operator at the site and was quickly developed as a suspect in the theft because only he and a foreman had keys to the crane. Hobbs said investigators determined the crane was used to lower the welders to ground level, and other equipment on the site was moved around to allow their removal.

Pictured: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigates the theft of two industrial welding machines from a bridge construction zone on North Highway 99 in Oak Grove Monday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos.

Comments

6 Responses to “Worker Charged With Stealing Welding Machines From High Above Bridge”

  1. dan on November 28th, 2017 10:19 pm

    Wow, every employee on that site is very lucky. A crane is the most dangerous piece of equipment on location. When you add drugs and the crane operator you have a very high probability of having an incident, accident, equipment damage, or fatality. That guy had to go.

  2. Keyed the same on November 28th, 2017 5:59 pm

    Glad they caught the guy, but this is something that has always bothered my about heavy equipment manufacturers; they key all of their equipment the same. My Bobcat key will start any Bobcat or Case equipment, same goes for Kubota tractors and UTVs and John Deere tractors and mowers. I guess it’s a money saving thing but never felt very secure in my opinion. That’s why we keep all of our equipment securely locked away when not in use. Can’t really stop a determined thief but at maybe individual keying like automobiles would slow them down.

  3. Grand Locust on November 28th, 2017 11:35 am

    People would love to have a high paying job as a crane operator. Greed leads one down a path which will consume a person as they are never satisfied.

  4. Lifendason on November 28th, 2017 10:19 am

    Wow, what a waste. Had a good job as a crane operator and now….JAIL cause he got greedy.

    For the love of money is the root of all evil. – I Timothy 6:10

    Praying for him and his situation.

  5. Skeptic on November 28th, 2017 10:13 am

    Ha…. they’ll never suspect ME. I mean, the boss has a key for the crane, too!

  6. Trocarman on November 28th, 2017 6:17 am

    Lock him up for a long time. Stealing from one’s employer is stupid, so are people who use drugs.