Rancher gets house arrest for theft of farm equipment

SASKATOON Saskatchewan cattle rancher Iain Stables, who admitted stealing about $1.2 million worth of farm equipment, has been sentenced to two years of house arrest and three years on probation.

Stables, 40, was ordered to pay $111,000 in restitution and $3,400 in surcharges over the five years of his sentence, handed down Friday at Saskatoon provincial court.

Much of the equipment was returned to two businesses, but they suffered financial losses through writeoffs, repairs and increased costs of insurance and security, Crown prosecutor Michael Segu said, citing an agreed statement of facts submitted to the court.

RCMP located farm implements that had gone missing in “a host of incidents” over five years in February 2016 at Stables’ Donovan-area farm southwest of Saskatoon and seized during a warranted search, Segu said.

Police have previously said they seized five John Deere farm tractors, two John Deere hay balers, two John Deere Gator side-bysides, two Dodge trucks, a cattle hauler, a car hauler, a Haybuster, a mower and a tiller during the search.

Stables was identified as a suspect in February 2016 after a tractor was stolen from Cervus Equipment John Deere in Saskatoon then returned the next night, when a different tractor was taken. A Cervus customer told the dealership he had seen the tractor near Vanscoy.

Company employees flew over Stables’ ranch and saw the John Deere equipment, leading to the RCMP search.

Cervus and Golden West Trailer Sales and Rental of Saskatoon were the primary victims of the thefts.

Golden West will receive $10,000 and Cervus $50,000. Cervus has also filed a civil lawsuit against Stables to recover the rest of its losses, which have not yet been determined by the court.

Almost half of the restitution will go to two people, Howard Toews and Ron Brown, who bought some of the equipment from Stables, according to defence lawyer Brad Mitchell.

Mental illness is believed to be a factor in the crimes. Stables said he doesn’t remember committing the thefts over five years. He has been seen by two psychiatrists who said he may have a dissociative disorder, has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has previously been admitted to mental health facilities, court heard.