19 April 2023
GREAT BEND, Kan. (KSNW) — A man who allegedly posed as a farmer or rancher to commit theft in several Kansas counties has been arrested, according to the Barton County Sheriff’s Office.
In February, Sheriff Brian Bellendir notified people to be on the lookout for someone going to farm stores, implement dealers and parts houses, posing as a farmer or rancher and using forged identification and checks to buy “large quantities” of items.
The sheriff said a Barton County retailer and many businesses in other counties fell victim to the ploy.
Bellendir said the Sheriff’s Office detective division learned the alleged suspect’s real identity. He said the alleged suspect had been using more than 25 aliases, had a history of financial crimes, and was recently released from federal parole.
Detectives got a warrant for his arrest and have been looking for him for several weeks.
They say the 65-year-old man is a Mount Olive, North Carolina resident, but investigators found out he was in Nebraska and possibly headed to Oberlin.
Bellendir said the Oberlin Police Department and the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office helped arrest the man on the forgery and theft warrant. The sheriff expects the man to be moved from the Decatur County jail to the Barton County jail soon. The bond is set at $100,000.
Bellendir said the investigation is continuing. He thinks other counties will prepare cases against the alleged suspect.
KSN News does not release names unless charges are filed, or a suspect makes a first appearance in court.