Man on probation charged in theft of propane tank
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By Brent Curtis Staff Writer - Published: June 29, 2009
A Brandon man on probation was sent back to jail Friday for allegedly stealing a propane tank from a Rutland business.
Christopher Richards, 41, denied Friday that he violated his probation by leaving house arrest, operating a motor vehicle despite a lifetime suspended license and then cutting "in a threatening manner" a hose connecting the propane tank to Haze Glass at 101 State St.
A probation complaint filed in court also alleges that Richards tested positive for marijuana use and benzodiazepines.
The violation probation charge is the second of its kind brought against Richards since May 14.
Judge Thomas Zonay ordered Richards held without bail and he was returned to the Rutland jail.
Richards was arrested Thursday after probation officer Dane Cooley watched a surveillance video of the burglary at Haze Glass, where Richards was a regular customer.
In the video, Cooley identified the burglar as Richards due to his distinctive tattoos, sunglasses, attire, bracelet and his truck.
But when confronted with the video — while wearing the same bracelet and sunglasses, according to Cooley — Richards denied that he was the person in the video.
Richards offered a similar denial in July 2007, when Brandon police stopped him for driving without a license. Asked why he was driving, Richards, who was sitting behind the wheel of his running truck, told Brandon Chief Christopher Brickell that he wasn't driving.
brent.curtis@rutlandherald.com
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