After a Worthington man saw a story about the arrest of a Linton man accused of stealing chainsaws from a business then selling them on Facebook, he went to the Linton Police Department to report he’d bought a trimmer and a leaf blower from the suspect.

Background

Dylan Thomas Fulk, 21 at the time of his arrest, now 22, was arrested on a warrant on Wednesday, October 3. He has since been charged with theft where the value of the stolen property is between $750 and $50,000, a Level 6 felony.

Fulk has been under investigation by Officer Debbie McDonald of the Linton Police Department since Sunday, September 2, when Scott Landis made a report to the police department. Landis is the owner of Landis Equipment and Tool Rental in Linton, where Stihl chainsaws are sold and repaired.

Landis reported a Stihl chainsaw, previously stolen from his business, was listed for sale on Facebook by Fulk, a former employee.

The chainsaw was posted by Fulk for sale for $250 in a Facebook sale group called “One man’s crap is another man’s treasure” as Stihl Model 291 with a 20” bar. The post said it had never been used.

The chainsaw was found to be missing in mid-May of 2017 and the serial number was reported as stolen to Stihl in early June.

When Officer McDonald checked for the post on Facebook, she also searched the site for other items Fulk had posted for sale and she located a second chainsaw. This one was posted by Fulk for sale for $200 in a sale group called “Greene County & Surrounding Area Online Yard Sales” as Stihl Model MS251C with an 18” bar. Landis Equipment had not yet realized this saw was also missing but they were able to confirm it was gone and they provided a serial number for it.

So, an arrangement was made through Facebook messages to purchase both chainsaws. McDonald said Fulk agreed to meet the buyer in a parking lot in Jasonville and said he would be driving a gray Chevy Colorado.

McDonald said when Fulk arrived, he told the buyer he brought gas so the saws could be started. He said one had been used to cut just one tree and the other had never been used. He said he used to work for a guy with a Stihl dealership who couldn’t pay him but told him he could have some stuff. When asked if it was Landis, Fulk allegedly said yes.

Officer McDonald notes the conversation during this transaction was audio recorded.

The officer’s next step in the investigation was to talk to Landis and another employee about trading equipment for hours worked. She reported Landis said he has always paid his employees and he provided a copy of Fulk’s pay stubs. The employee said he had worked there for nine years, had always gotten his pay check and had never been offered anything in exchange for hours worked.

McDonald made several attempts to contact Fulk and at one point he promised to come in to the police department. She said he didn’t show up but did call in and told a dispatcher to tell McDonald to call his attorney.

The officer’s findings were turned over to the prosecutor’s office and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Keven McIntosh filed the first criminal case against Fulk and a warrant was issued. Following his arrest, he was released from jail after posting $400 cash.

That case is still pending and he’s due to appear in court for a pretrial conference in late November.

Update on the latest case

But after his arrest, a Worthington man’s mother showed him a photo of Fulk with the information that Fulk had been arrested for alleged theft. The man had purchased items from Fulk in the past so he reportedly discussed the situation with his father and made the decision to go to law enforcement.

LPD Officer Debbie McDonald met with the Worthington man when he came in to the Linton Police Department.

Officer McDonald reported the man told her he had purchased a Stihl leaf blower and a Stihl trimmer from Fulk after he contacted Fulk through Facebook and Fulk brought the items to the man’s residence in Worthington. He paid $120 or $125 for both – he couldn’t remember the exact amount. He turned both items over to police.

McDonald investigated and found these items had been stolen from the same place as the chainsaws.

Now Fulk is facing a second criminal case.

Deputy Prosecutor Cheryl Jackson Stone filed the new case against Fulk to charge him with theft, a Class A misdemeanor, and Fulk is being summoned to appear in Greene Superior Court for an initial hearing in mid-December.