Montgomery County, TX — Two stolen skid steers have been recovered and a 24-year-old man is in custody following a theft investigation that began at a TxDOT work site along FM 2090, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
On August 31, deputies responded after a private company reported one of its skid steers stolen from a location where equipment had been left overnight while crews performed work for the Texas Department of Transportation.
The owner received real-time motion alerts and tracked the stolen equipment using GPS devices. Tracking information showed the machinery traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 59.
Officers with the Woodbranch Police Department intercepted the transport vehicle, and a Montgomery County Sheriff's Office deputy responded to assist. Investigators confirmed the skid steer had been taken without the owner's consent.
The driver, identified as Caleb Dardar, 24, was arrested without incident and charged with Felony Theft. Authorities said Dardar also had an outstanding felony warrant from Harris County for Aggravated Robbery.
The truck and trailer allegedly used to transport the stolen equipment were taken to the Montgomery County Auto Theft Task Force. Investigators are working to determine whether those vehicles were also stolen.
Deputies later discovered that a second skid steer had been stolen from the same FM 2090 job site. That machine was transported into Harris County and recovered by the Houston Police Department.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
The charges are allegations. Dardar is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.