A Bloomington man, required to register on the Indiana Sex Offender List for life as a sexually violent predator, has been issued a summons to appear in court regarding a theft that occured in the Bloomfield area July 12. 

A summons to appear in Greene Superior Court was issued on Aug. 1 for Steven Dickinson, 56. While Dickinson’s address states Bloomington, his eastern Greene County residence is in fact in Greene County. 

On July 12, Deputy Shawn Cullison of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call regarding the theft of a dump lawn trailer, similar to one that would hook behind a garden tractor. The homeowner told Deputy Cullison the trailer, which he uses to to haul his trash to the roadside for pick up, was given to him from his grandfather. He reported he used the wagon to take trash to the roadway earlier that morning but it was gone when he returned home later that afternoon. He first contacted his trash service company to ensure they did not take the wagon by mistake. The trash company confirmed they did not take the wagon, which he estimated the value to be around $300. 

The homeowner checked his home surveillance camera, which records in short 15 second clips. The first video clip showed a white truck parked at the end of the driveway near the roadway. It showed the driver door of the truck shut and the truck backing out onto the roadway. The second video clip showed the truck drive away from the driveway and head south toward Bloomfield. It also showed what appeared to be the wagon’s tires sticking up from the truck's bed, as if the wagon was turned upside down in the bed of the truck. 

After viewing the homeowner’s video surveillance, Deputy Cullison headed to the Greene County Courthouse to check out their video footage. The video showed a white ford F-150 with a red tailgate matching the description of the truck in the homeowner’s video travel south on State Road 157 and turn west onto Main Street. The video shows the truck then travel west, crossing Franklin Street, continuing west on Main Street and out of view of the camera. The video clearly showed  a small wagon placed upside down in the bed ofthe truck.

On July 13, the homeowner contacted Deputy Cullison stating he found the person who took the wagon. He said he knew his first name to be Steve or Steven. He learned that Dickinson had recently lost his dog and had been in the neighborhood handing out his phone number. The homeowner talked to Dickinson and he admitted to taking the wagon because he thought it was being thrown away. The homeowner asked the wagon be returned. Around 1 a.m.,the homeowner said the wagon was returned. 

The number Dickinson had given out matched the number that was on file through the sex offender registry. Dickinson served sentences for vicarious sexual gratification and child molesting. He is required to register on the sex offender list for life. 

On July 14, Deputy Cullison drove by Dickinson’s residence and saw the truck with a red tailgate in the drive. According to the sex offender registry, Dickinson drives a 1992 Ford F-150. 

Deputy Cullison spoke with Dickinson via telephone on July 18. Dickinson told Deputy Cullison he was out picking up junk, and the wagon was sitting by the road. He said he thought it was junk, so he picked it up. Dickinson told Cullison he did take the wagon back. Dickinson said the owner should not have left it sitting by the roadway because people could come by and pick it up. Cullison asked Dickinson if the wagon had any sign on it indicating it was free. Dickinson said there was no signage but he thought it was junk. 

Dickinson will be charged with theft, a Class A Misdemeanor.