Two men have been arrested in connection with the theft of large equipment, including excavators and other heavy machinery, with additional arrests expected.
According to police, on June 7, Chambers County deputies responded to a GPS signal from a stolen excavator near SH-99 and Interstate 10 in Chambers County. Working with investigators from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, they traced the suspect vehicle to 39-year-old Jimmy McGee of Mont Belvieu. Deputies found another excavator on McGee’s trailer, which had its VIN plate removed and fresh paint on its arm, increasing their suspicions.
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When investigators interviewed McGee at his home, they found discrepancies in his account of his whereabouts on the night of the theft. According to authorities, the excavator was seized for further investigation and positive identification. By June 10, with assistance from auto theft investigators, detectives confirmed the second excavator was reported stolen in Beaumont. Police say that the search warrants executed in and around Chambers County led to the recovery of multiple stolen items, primarily from the Beaumont area.
Detectives identified 38-year-old James Mason of Baytown as McGee’s main accomplice. The investigation revealed that McGee, Mason, and other accomplices would scout equipment from east Houston to west Louisiana during the day and transport it at night to Chambers County. They would then alter the items’ identities and sell them below market value.
To date, detectives have uncovered $347,000 worth of stolen equipment, including excavators, skid steers, trailers, and tractors. Arrest warrants were issued for McGee and Mason for multiple offenses, and both men are now incarcerated at the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office Jail.
Jimmy McGee faces several charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, with a bond set at $50,000. He is also charged with tampering with an identification number, carrying a $15,000 bond, and engaging in organized criminal activity – theft of property, which has a bond of $300,000.
James Mason is charged with engaging in organized criminal activity – theft of property, with a bond set at $300,000.
This case remains under investigation, with more arrests expected. Anyone with stolen construction equipment or trailers in southeast Texas or western Louisiana is asked to email Lieutenant Tanner Dickens at tcdickens@chamberstx.gov with details of the theft.