BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – A Beckley man was arrested after he stole a John Deere, zero turn mower from Lowe’s to start his own lawn care business.
Rodney James Bratcher, 31, of Beckley, was arrested on Wednesday, June 21, 2018 for stealing a lawn mower. An employee with Lowe’s told officers that Bratcher was driving the lawn mower on the New East Beckley By-Pass and followed him on.
The Officer located a white male with a white tank top walking North Bound on Stanford road in the front loan of Woodrow Wilson High School. Bratcher told the Officer he had not seen anyone on a lawn mower and he had not taken it.
Witnesses’s flagged down the officer and advised that Rodney was the person who stole it. Officers found the mower located in a wooded area between the Hospital and School.
After he was arrested, Bratcher told officers that where the key was and told them he took the mower to start a lawn care business.
Bratcher is charged with grand larceny and is being held in the Southern Regional Jail under a 25,500 dollar bond.