Public Safety

Suspected lawnmower thief jailed after 30 release violations

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by Guy Page

A man cited October 3 in connection with a lawnmower theft in Highgate was arrested again last week after allegedly violating court conditions 30 times tied to numerous prior charges and probation cases. This time, he was jailed on $2000 bail.

Stewart Arbuckle

Vermont State Police said troopers located Stewart Arbuckle, 36, of Enosburg, on the evening of Oct. 13 at a residence on Montgomery Road in Berkshire. Arbuckle was known to have multiple active arrest warrants and was taken into custody without incident.

The warrants stemmed from a long list of earlier criminal cases, including charges of aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, forgery, reckless endangerment, and multiple counts of violating probation.

Just ten days earlier, Arbuckle and Tony Larock, 33, of Milton, had been cited for grand larceny after allegedly stealing a lawnmower from a School Street property in Highgate. Troopers later recovered and returned the mower to its owner, Todd Bushey, 61.

Following his Berkshire arrest, Arbuckle was processed for violation of conditions and held on the outstanding warrants. He is scheduled to appear in Franklin County Criminal Court on Nov. 17.

Here’s a full list of all the “Violation of Probation” (VOP) or violation of conditions entries from the Vermont State Police report for Stewart Arbuckle.

  1. 28 VSA 302 Other 3 – Violation of Probation
  2. 28 VSA 302 Other 3 – Violation of Probation
  3. 28 VSA 302 Other 3 – Violation of Probation
  4. 28 VSA 302 Other 1 – Violation of Probation
  5. 28 VSA 302 Other 4 – Violation of Probation
  6. 28 VSA 302 Other 4 – Violation of Probation
  7. 28 VSA 302 Other 4 – Violation of Probation
  8. 28 VSA 302 Other 2 – Violation of Probation
  9. 28 VSA 302 Other 5 – Violation of Probation
  10. 28 VSA 302 Other 5 – Violation of Probation
  11. 28 VSA 302 Other 5 – Violation of Probation
  12. 28 VSA 302 Other 3 – Violation of Probation
  13. 28 VSA 302 Other 6 – Violation of Probation
  14. 28 VSA 302 Other 6 – Violation of Probation
  15. 28 VSA 302 Other 7 – Violation of Probation
  16. 28 VSA 302 Other 8 – Violation of Probation
  17. 28 VSA 302 Other 9 – Violation of Probation
  18. 28 VSA 302 Other 3 – Violation of Probation
  19. 28 VSA 302 Other 7 – Violation of Probation
  20. 28 VSA 302 Other 8 – Violation of Probation
  21. 28 VSA 302 Other 9 – Violation of Probation
  22. 28 VSA 302 Other 6 – Violation of Probation
  23. 28 VSA 302 Other 4 – Violation of Probation
  24. 28 VSA 302 Other 3 – Violation of Probation
  25. 28 VSA 302 Other 5 – Violation of Probation
  26. 28 VSA 302 Other 7 – Violation of Probation
  27. 28 VSA 302 Other 8 – Violation of Probation
  28. 28 VSA 302 Other 6 – Violation of Probation
  29. 28 VSA 302 Other 9 – Violation of Probation
  30. 28 VSA 302 Other 7 – Violation of Probation

In total, 30 separate probation violations are listed under Arbuckle’s record in this report.

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Categories: Public Safety

3 replies »

  2. What is the price tag for these violations involving the state taxpayer resources. That’s the real crime. Expect 30 more slaps on the wrist. Minor jail time this guy knows “The Vermont Way”. Probably sold the lawnmower to pay off the fine.

  3. We need to press all our state legislators to make new laws in the upcoming legislative session which state that if you violate probation or conditions of release, you stay in jail until trial. Period. If you are arrested more than once in a week or a month, you stay in jail until trial. Period.

    Multiple DUIs=mandatory jail with increasingly long sentences for each subsequent DUI.

    Sex crimes against children=very long prison sentences.

    Can you imagine how much our court dockets would be cleared up?

    This misplaced compassion in the name of rehabilitation, or “giving the benefit of the doubt,” actually invites re-offending because those with the least internal constraints require the strongest external constraints. Judges releasing these serial arrestees is as stupid as telling them, “Now please don’t break the law anymore, okay? Pretty please? If you do, we’ll have to really throw the book at you and release you with more conditions and more probation so you are free to go out and commit more crimes. And if we catch you, you’ll really be in trouble and get more probation and conditions of release.”

    Am I frustrated? You bet. And it’s mostly because of the lack of moral will and courage of our legislators to pass legislation with teeth in it, and some judges and some prosecutors who would rather there be chaos in our communities than order and peace. Are they more concerned with appearing mean and uncompassionate than they are about public safety? It would appear so.

    I get it that all are innocent until proven guilty and that judges must be fair, as well it should be. But something must be done about the revolving doors on our courthouses.