No bond: Chesapeake men came to Gloucester "with intent to steal", says GCSO

Gary Shepherd & Michael LeathersPhoto byGCSO

Two Chesapeake men are in jail being held without bond after they allegedly traveled to Gloucester to steal $28,000 worth of equipment, Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office reported.

GCSO said the men were caught on July 11 after a citizen saw and reported that someone was driving what appeared to be a new John Deere tractor on George Washington Memorial Highway, a four-lane artery that connects the Middle Peninsula to Hampton Roads. That citizen also reported that when the tractor got near Vulcan Stone, it was loaded onto a trailer.

A deputy spotted a truck pulling a trailer with a John Deere, said GCSO. It was heading south, the direction of Hampton Roads. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and discovered that not only was the tractor stolen but so was the trailer pulling it.

GCSO said Gary Shepherd, a 52-year-old, and Michael Leathers, age 39, “came to Gloucester County with the intent to steal a utility trailer valued at approximately $3,000 from Trailer World.”

“The theft of the trailer was done in order to further their criminal activity of stealing a John Deere 3025E tractor valued at $25,000 from Chimney Corner Lawnmower,” the sheriff’s office added.

GSCO said representatives from both businesses came to the scene to positively identify their property.

Shepherd and Leathers are both charged with:

• 2 counts (each) of grand larceny
• 2 counts (each) of conspiracy to commit larceny
• 2 counts (each) of possession of burglary tools
• 2 counts (each) of entering property of another with intent to damage, etc.
• 2 counts (each) of damaged property

Follow the Watchful Eye on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with what's happening in Virginia!