Landowner thwarts theft

SANDPOINT — An alert Bonner County landowner managed to foil a theft of his property Tuesday by jumping into the back of the suspect’s pickup truck and convincing him to stop.

Jeffrey Allen Bartlett was arrested on suspicion of burglary, but ultimately charged with misdemeanor theft, according to court documents. Bartlett was also charged with driving without privileges and failure to provide proof of liability insurance.

Judge Debra Heise set Bartlett’s bail at $5,500 during an initial court appearance on Wednesday, court records show.

The 29-year-old landowner, Adam Mitton, told a sheriff’s deputy he heard lawn chairs being moved in his bass fishing boat shortly before 6 p.m. He went to investigate and saw Bartlett with a set of elk horns that were stored in the boat and confronted him.

Bartlett, 51, got into a pickup and began to drive away, prompting the landowner to jump into the truck’s bed and threaten to smash in the cab’s window, the arrest report said. Bartlett stopped and was detained until the deputy arrived.

The landowner valued the horns at $800, an estimate which did not account for the costs he incurred hunting the bull elk.

Bartlett reportedly told the deputy he thought the horns were abandoned after an estate auction in the neighborhood.