Rancher piles dirt on metal thief suspect's truck to prevent escape

At about 9:15 a.m. on January 13, Yavapai County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to the Layton Ranch in Castle Hot Springs regarding a theft in progress. A rancher driving a tractor on the property noticed a truck carrying acetylene torch bottles and other tools. Due to recenty metal thefts from his property, the rancher followed the truck to obtain a license number of the possible theft suspects' vehicle, according to YCSO officials. The truck was eventually forced to stop due to road conditions, and the rancher blocked the truck from leaving by piling dirt around the truck with the tractor, YCSO officials say. The rancher confronted the two men, and when they learned that he had contacted the sheriff's office, they ran into the hills. The rancher pursued them, first in the tractor, then on a horse. A Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputy was nearby and arrived within 30 minutes, and a MCSO helicopter arrived about 30 minutes later...more