Tennessee pair arrested for stealing heavy equipment

A pair of Tennessee men were arrested Thursday for heavy equipment theft.

The Graves County Sheriff's Office said the Kentucky Department of Transportation reported a missing skid steer from an area of I-69, stolen in the overnight hours of March 20-21.

Deputies said they located the skid steer Wednesday morning hidden in a remote area of extreme southern Graves County near the Tennesse state line.

It took deputies with the Graves, McCracken and Calloway County Sheriff's Offices 41 consecutive hours to catch 47-year-old Coyce Jones of Dresden, Tennesse and 44-year-old Jesse Whittaker of Palmersville, Tennesse., after they allegedly returned to where the skid steer was hidden.

Both men were charged with theft of property valued at over $100,000 and possession of crystal methamphetamine.