December 3, 2019
By: Dwayne Page
A DeKalb County man, the focus of a multi-state investigation into the theft of farm equipment, has returned to face several local charges
33 year old Orry Joseph Savage of Jefferson Road, Smithville is charged locally with burglary and four counts of theft. His bond totals $115,000 and he will be in court December 19.
Savage was initially identified as a suspect in the theft of a John Deere Tractor on May 21 but detectives expanded the investigation after learning that Savage was involved in other thefts.
“After he had broken into and stolen a 2012 enclosed cab John Deere tractor on Jefferson Road worth $75,000 on May 21 my detectives and chief deputy started working on this case which soon developed into a multi-state investigation. Other states began contacting us about Savage being a suspect in farm equipment thefts there. After the thefts Savage would take the stolen farm equipment including tractors and trailers across state lines to sell and trade. We got Savage back last week from another state where he had been detained for several months on theft charges,” said Sheriff Patrick Ray.
In other cases locally Savage allegedly stole a car hauler and New Holland tractor valued at $13,500 on January 1, 2019.
On February 7, 2019 Savage traded a John Deere 6410 tractor which had been stolen in Warren County to someone in DeKalb County for a Polaris Razor and $10,500 cash.
On June 25, 2019 Savage was found to be in possession of a featherlite gooseneck trailer valued at $12,000 stolen in Tazwell, West Virginia.
Sheriff Ray said some of the stolen equipment has been recovered.