A Hamilton County maintenance employee was arrested Wednesday in connection with the theft of more than $2,000 in equipment from several volunteer fire department stations.
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Derek Lamar Dean at his place of work at the Hamilton County Maintenance Division, according to a news release.
Deputies were dispatched to the Highway 58 Volunteer Fire Department’s station on Birchwood Pike on Tuesday for a reported theft. Fire officials said they had been looking into a string a thefts at four stations that occurred Sept. 21.
Dean was tasked with inspecting the heating units at each of the fire department locations, and video footage from the stations confirmed he was at the scene, the release said.
Video footage at one station captured him in a Hamilton County uniform taking a weed eater, authorities said.
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Dean was being held at the Hamilton County Jail.
A felony warrant for theft of property accuses Dean of taking two leaf blowers, a weed eater, a chainsaw and a Sony PlayStation 5.
— Compiled by Kiara Green