BOZEMAN — Court documents show that two men, one from Bozeman, the other from Billings, are accused of stealing property from parked cars in a subdivision -- then buying items with stolen credit cards.
According to court documents, Gallatin County Sheriff’s detectives started keeping an eye on Thomas Wegley and Oscar Mejia after Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply contacted deputies on May 21.
The manager told them that two men in masks and hoods bought more than $800 worth of equipment with a woman’s credit card.
Before that, deputies were investigating a series of car thefts in the Wylie Creek Subdivision, where they traced the card back to.
Court documents show deputies continued to follow the pair as they bought over $1,200 worth of Galaxy phones from Wal-Mart, with the same card.
“You have multiple violations for which you are on probation and have been seen in this court and the disobedience to the court orders and probation conditions, itself, court is setting bail in the amount of $150,000,” said Judge Bryan Adams during Wegley’s initial appearance in Gallatin County Justice Court. “If you continue to dig yourself into a hole that you can’t get out, it’s on you.”
Deputies say among the stolen things recovered from the pair’s BMW was an itemized list of outdoor equipment, knives, a tomahawk, a pistol and much more.
Both men are charged with theft and felony deception.
Wegley’s bail was set at $150,000, while Mejia’s was set at $30,000.
Both could face up to combined total of 20 years in prison (both charges), if convicted.
