Bleacher Thief Arrested After $10K Hit to Local Montgomery County Park

NEW CANEY, TX -- On 5/26/2022, 20 bleacher planks were discovered missing from Bull Sallas Park by an East Montgomery County Park Maintenance Manager from Pct. 4 Commissioner James Mett’s Office during routine inspection. The bleachers are used for family and friends to cheer one the youth’s sporting events at the park. Initial observation showed what appeared to be drag marks in the dirt where the bleacher planks were drug across the field to a residence on Liberty Street, located next to the park. A day later four additional bleacher planks were discovered missing.

Pct. 4 Detectives worked the scene, interviewing nearby residents, also focusing on what appeared to be drag marks in the dirt from where the bleachers were stolen from and taken to. During the investigation, Intel led Detectives to a scrap yard where the bleachers were located and the suspect was identified. An arrest warrant was filled out and signed by a judge on 7/11/2022, after presenting the evidence to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.

On 7/12/2022, Pct. 4 Deputies were on an unrelated traffic stop during the early morning hours. As the occupants were being arrested for a felony narcotic charge along with various warrants, Deputies allowed them to phone a friend to take possession of the vehicle. The subject who arrived on scene, was the subject who just had the arrest warrant issued from the previous day for the theft of the bleachers; he too was taken into custody.

Constable Hayden stated, “Stealing from a county park is stealing from the youth and families of East Montgomery County. This theft of metal has cost the County $10,000 to purchase new bleachers, thus taking away from the funds the county could spend on other improvements and maintenance to the park”.

ARRESTED: James Thomley, 58 years of age from New Caney, TX – State Jail Felony Theft of Materials (Metal)

*ALL ARRESTS & PHOTOS ARE PUBLIC INFORMATION. ALL SUBJECTS ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY*