Photo: Dustin Mason
CHICO – Last Wednesday the BCSO discovered that someone had broken into their storage trailer, cut the locks and stolen $23,000 worth of equipment that the Dive and Rescue team use.
Their investigation determined that the incident was connected to a burglary at the Skyway Golf Park. Then on Saturday investigators identified 29-year-old Dustin Mason and an unnamed 17-year-old juvenile as suspects in both burglaries.
The next step was to contact Mason’s mother, Kelly Bruce, at her Tehema County home and search her residence.
The search produced $10,000 worth of property connected to the burglaries. Investigators, discovering that some property was thrown into the Sacramento River, collected $2,500 more equipment from the river.
Mason, the juvenile, and 26-year-old Kala Keehl were arrested for the crimes. Mason was charged with burglary, violation of probation, resisting arrest and possession of stolen property.
Keehl was charged with possession of stolen property and being an accessory.
The BCSO says, “Butte County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind citizens that the Butte County Dive and Rescue Team and The Butte County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team are the only water rescue teams in Butte County. The teams conduct water rescues and water recoveries. The loss of equipment associated to this theft is detrimental to their mission to provide water rescue and recovery services to the citizens of Butte County. Citizens who happen to locate dive equipment near the Sacramento River are encouraged to contact the BCSO Felony Investigations Unit at 530.538.7671.”
