Two men are facing misdemeanor theft charges for allegedly picking up pallets that did not belong to them.

Rodney J. Thatcher, 53, and Bradley Dean Thompson, 46, both from Solsberry, are both facing a preliminary charge of theft, a Class A misdemeanor, as a result of an incident that occurred on Christmas Day, Friday, December 25.

On Christmas Day afternoon, Deputy Michael Stanley, the investigating officer, and Deputy Michael Coy, both from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, were dispatched to a construction company on State Road 54, east of Bloomfield, after the owner reported he had caught two men stealing pallets from his business.

When the deputies arrived, they talked to the business owner and both suspects, identified as Rodney Thatcher and Bradley Thompson.

The owner said he had not given the men permission to be on his property or to take pallets and none of his employees had given them permission. He said he caught them loading his pallets up on their flatbed truck.

Thatcher allegedly said they had loaded up 18 pallets then put them back before the deputies arrived. He said he didn’t mean to cause any problems but a man by the name of “Rick” had given them permission to be there and take pallets. The owner didn’t know any “Rick” that could grant permission. There were other pallets on the truck at the time – Thatcher said they had picked them up from “Eastern school.”

Both men were advised they were trespassed from the property and if they returned, they could be arrested.

A summons has been issued to both men ordering them to appear at initial hearings, one on March 29, one on April 1.