Thieves Stealing Trees for Profit

It`s not jewelry, money or cars but it can stolen just the same. In the last few years, the Arkansas Forestry Commission has gone after hundreds of timber thieves -- people managing to steal trees. What happened to Jerry Allen just barely cuts into the problem. Earlier this year, he hired a contractor to cut down trees on his land to make pasture land for his horses. "When they finished they left and never paid the rest of what they owed me," Allen explained. Getting away with extra timber is just one way timber thieves are finding their loot. "Timber theft is what we call a white-collar type crime," explaind AR Forestry Commission Investigator Tonja Kelly. "It`s done with forged timber deeds or contracts that are just not followed through...just not paying the full amount on the timber and getting extra trees on neighbor`s property." Since the forestry commission started investigating them in 2000, the number of reported timber theft cases has gone from 69 to 140 in 2003. So far this year, that number is down to 90. Jerry Allen`s case was settled out of civil court. But newer laws allow the commission to file criminal charges. "You can be prosecuted for timber theft and if it`s over $500 then it`s a felony," said Kelly. In many cases the cost of stolen timber can reach far beyond $500. "Depending on the price of timber at the time, the landowner may have $40,000 in the stand of timber they`re wanting to cut," said Kelly. The forestry commission has yet to send anyone to jail over timber theft, although they say it is a possibility. Investigators say the loggers are given several opportunities to settle the dispute before more criminal action is taken. That`s been successful so far, as most of the cases have been settled or are awaiting trial.