$16K In Equipment Stolen From Wash. Fire Station

April 29, 2011
WOODLAND, Wash. -- Deputies have arrested a 30-year-old man accused of using stolen gas cards to get away with fuel valued at more than $1,500. Investigators say Timothy Moss is also a person of interest in the theft of fire and medical equipment belonging to Cowlitz County Fire District 1. According to Capt. Corey Huffine with the Cowlitz County Sheriffs Office, Moss was recorded on surveillance video on two occasions filling up his pick-up truck at an industrial fuel pump.

WOODLAND, Wash. --

Deputies have arrested a 30-year-old man accused of using stolen gas cards to get away with fuel valued at more than $1,500.

Investigators say Timothy Moss is also a person of interest in the theft of fire and medical equipment belonging to Cowlitz County Fire District 1.

According to Capt. Corey Huffine with the Cowlitz County Sheriffs Office, Moss was recorded on surveillance video on two occasions filling up his pick-up truck at an industrial fuel pump.

Huffine says Moss was using gas cards that were registered to the Fire District.

Fire officials say between March 29 and April 11, someone broke into the volunteer station along Woodland Heights Road.

In that theft, Victor Leatzow, a spokesman for Cowlitz County Fire, says equipment valued at $16,500 was stolen. Leatzow says the theft was discovered April 11 when volunteer firefighters arrived at the station.

Leatzow says medical and fire equipment was stolen, in addition to the Jaws of Life.

The value of the gear is roughly 5 percent of the stations budget, officials say. Because important equipment was stolen, Leatzow says, the station had to shut down for a few days.

Prosecutors have only charged Moss with being in possession of the stolen gas cards. Huffine says they have not linked him to the stolen fire equipment, but are looking at all possibilities.

No medical gear was found during a search of Moss' home, investigators say.

Leatzow says the station is back up and running, but only because they pulled back-up gear from other stations.

During the time Station 3 was out of service, Leatzow says, other stations throughout the county helped with service calls.

Anyone with information on either case is urged to call deputies with the Cowlitz County Sheriff Office.

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