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Two Yuba County men and a companion from Texas allegedly bought themselves a ton of trouble late Tuesday — at $1.39 a pound.
That's the wholesale price English walnuts are going for, and the three men were found with 780 pounds of them about 11:30 p.m. in an orchard north of Marysville, according to the Yuba County Sheriff's Department.
Credit for cracking the case went to a deputy who was checking the orchard at the west end of Ellis Road in District 10 for potential thieves.
As the deputy approached a black Ford F-250 pickup with Texas plates, he noticed leaves had been raked into piles — and there were no walnuts on the ground.
The truck's bed was about three-quarters full of walnuts, said department spokeswoman Melanie Oakes.
The driver, 60-year-old Michael Benjamin Caldon of Claude, Texas, and a passenger, Terry Ezra Gilmore, 53, of the 5500 block of Feather River Boulevard, Olivehurst, told the deputy that "Cindy," the orchard's owner, had given them permission to gather the nuts.
"Neither one could provide 'Cindy's' last name or a way to contact her," said Oakes.
The third suspect, Wesley Richard McGlone, 40, of the 1900 block of Country Club Court, east Linda, said he was just there to help.
An orchard representative confirmed the walnuts were stolen and valued them at $1,170 — well over the $100 threshold for grand theft of domestic fowl, avocados, olives, citrus or deciduous fruits, vegetables, nuts, artichokes or other farm produce, according to the California Penal Code.
Caldon, McGlone and Gilmore were arrested on suspicion of grand theft and were being held Wednesday in Yuba County Jail.
Caldon is facing an additional charge of possession of a controlled substance, while Gilmore was wanted for driving on a suspended license. McGlone is also charged with theft after a previous theft conviction.
Bail was set at $20,000 for Caldon and McGlone. Gilmore's bail was $31,000.
Contact Marysville Appeal-Democrat reporter Rob Young at 749-4710 or at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com.
That's the wholesale price English walnuts are going for, and the three men were found with 780 pounds of them about 11:30 p.m. in an orchard north of Marysville, according to the Yuba County Sheriff's Department.
Credit for cracking the case went to a deputy who was checking the orchard at the west end of Ellis Road in District 10 for potential thieves.
As the deputy approached a black Ford F-250 pickup with Texas plates, he noticed leaves had been raked into piles — and there were no walnuts on the ground.
The truck's bed was about three-quarters full of walnuts, said department spokeswoman Melanie Oakes.
The driver, 60-year-old Michael Benjamin Caldon of Claude, Texas, and a passenger, Terry Ezra Gilmore, 53, of the 5500 block of Feather River Boulevard, Olivehurst, told the deputy that "Cindy," the orchard's owner, had given them permission to gather the nuts.
"Neither one could provide 'Cindy's' last name or a way to contact her," said Oakes.
The third suspect, Wesley Richard McGlone, 40, of the 1900 block of Country Club Court, east Linda, said he was just there to help.
An orchard representative confirmed the walnuts were stolen and valued them at $1,170 — well over the $100 threshold for grand theft of domestic fowl, avocados, olives, citrus or deciduous fruits, vegetables, nuts, artichokes or other farm produce, according to the California Penal Code.
Caldon, McGlone and Gilmore were arrested on suspicion of grand theft and were being held Wednesday in Yuba County Jail.
Caldon is facing an additional charge of possession of a controlled substance, while Gilmore was wanted for driving on a suspended license. McGlone is also charged with theft after a previous theft conviction.
Bail was set at $20,000 for Caldon and McGlone. Gilmore's bail was $31,000.
Contact Marysville Appeal-Democrat reporter Rob Young at 749-4710 or at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com.
