Nothing cool about Fredonia men tied to theft at business

BROCTON — Two Fredonia residents are facing grand larceny charges after stealing two rooftop air-conditioner units from a business.

Chautauqua County sheriff’s deputies report that around 9 p.m. June 10, the two subjects pulled into Jamestown Plastics parking lot at 98 Highland Ave. Security cameras caught them on video pulling into the parking lot in a white utility truck pulling a trailer and stealing two rooftop air conditioner condenser units from the parking lot. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division investigated this incident and put a photograph of the white utility truck that was seen in the Jamestown Plastics security camera on the Chautauqua Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. An anonymous caller reported to the division whose truck this was and where it was parked at that time in Fredonia.

Investigators went to the location and further investigation led to Derek J. Saxton, 41, of 18 Liberty St., Apt. 2, being interviewed in regard to this case. Saxton admitted to investigators that it was him and a Dustin Hale who stole the two units from Jamestown Plastics. Saxton brought investigators to his address and showed them the units, which they had cut up for scrap. Investigators were assisted at the scene by Fredonia Police. Saxton turned himself in later that week and was arraigned on fourth-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal mischief charges. He was released without bail.

A warrant of arrest was obtained from Portland court for Dustin Hale, 36, on the same charges. On Wednesday, State Police and Fredonia police did a warrant check on Hale at 53 Cleveland Ave. Hale was taken into custody and later taken to Chautauqua County Jail and arraigned and later released.

They will return to court later.

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