A Hymera man arrested yesterday is accused of stealing chainsaws from a man who hired him to do some work in Greene County.

James Edward Samm, 55, Hymera, was arrested by Deputy Michael Coy of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday, July 29.

A warrant was issued for Samm’s arrest in mid-April in a case of alleged theft of chainsaws and other equipment that dates back to 2017.

GCSD Deputy Chris Anderson investigated the theft in September of 2017 when a man who had been logging in the area of County Road 900 West, south of State Road 48, said he had contracted with Samm to run a log skidder but Samm had taken equipment and was not returning it.

The man said Samm was supposed to return a truck to him after Samm’s shift ended on September 25, and Samm did return the truck. But there was some equipment in the truck and when the truck was returned, the equipment was missing.

The man said he was missing a Stihl chainsaw with an approximate value of $600, a Husqvarna chainsaw with an approximate value of $1,259.95, and a broken shaft to his log skidder.

Samm allegedly did not return to work the next morning and when he returned a message to the man, he said the man was not getting his equipment back until he was paid the money the man owed him.

A couple of days later, the Hymera Town Marshal assisted in retrieving the skidder shaft and a toolbox but not the chainsaws.

The equipment owner provided copies of his text conversation with Samm and Deputy Anderson reported Samm told the man in the text that he wants $1,150 that was owed to him for work or the owner will not get any of his equipment back.

Samm was booked in around 6:21 p.m. yesterday with bond set at $4,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He posted $400 and was released.

Samm is facing a preliminary charge of theft – value of property is between $750 and $50,000, a Level 6 felony. His initial hearing is scheduled for Monday afternoon, August 10.