News from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

For more information contact: Maureen Wren, 518-402-8000

DEC Arrests Two on Timber Theft Charge

Washington County Residents Accused of Stealing $32,000 Worth of Trees

ALBANY, NY (07/01/2008; 1240)(readMedia)-- Two Washington County residents were recently arrested on charges involving the theft of timber valued at approximately $32,000, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation today announced.

Kevin Green and Deborah Patterson, both of Chamberlain Mills Road in Hebron, Washington County, are alleged to have engaged in a theft of timber on private land in Hebron. In December 2007, Green and Patterson allegedly hired a logging company to cut trees on a parcel that they did not own. The property owners discovered the theft and reported it to state authorities.

An investigation by DEC's Environmental Conservation Officer Jeffrey Dempster and Environmental Conservation Investigator Kenneth Bruno resulted in a grand jury indictment. On June 27, 2008, both Green and Patterson were charged with a felony of Grand Larceny in the third degree and a violation of Penal Law Trespass. They were arraigned in Washington County court and were released on their own recognizance pending future court proceedings. The two face penalties of up to seven years in jail and thousands of dollars in fines.

Theft of timber from forest lands can destroy generations of careful forest stewardship and cause irreparable environmental damage. The best way to deal with timber theft is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Landowners should be intimately familiar with their property and its boundaries. If boundary lines are unclear, a survey by a licensed surveyor would be a wise investment. To learn more about timber theft and other ways to prevent it, go to http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/38969.html on the DEC website. Timber thefts can be reported to DEC by calling 1-800-TIPP DEC.

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