Ohio man accused of theft at well site
An Ohio man is accused of stealing more than $100,000 worth of drilling equipment from two Marcellus Shale well sites in Greene County just weeks before he was arrested at one of the sites with tools loaded in his pickup truck.
State police charged Matthew Luke Bartimus, 42, of Bethesda, Ohio, with theft and criminal trespassing in the Aug. 11 and 13 thefts from the CNX well pads in Morris Township.
During the daylight heists, Bartimus loaded a small flaring chimney, nine pipeline choking systems, nearly two-dozen shutoff valves and numerous studs and bolts into his truck, state police said.
Workers told police they saw a man matching Bartimus’ description loading “several bolts and wing valves” into his truck at the Boothe School Road well site Aug. 11.
Another worker said he saw the same man two days later closing his truck tailgate and driving off the Dunns School/Timberline well pad as employees approached.
Bartimus was arrested at the Boothe School well site Sept. 21 when workers stopped him before he could leave.
Police said he tried to steal $1,000 worth of studs and nuts before employees confronted him and held him until troopers arrived. He was charged with criminal attempt and trespassing in that case and held for court Thursday by District Judge Louis Dayich.
He was arraigned by Dayich on the more recent charges Tuesday and is being held in the Greene County jail on $10,000 bond.
Police said the two drill sites were missing a total of $101,696 in equipment after the August thefts.
Police said the Abutec 100 flaring chimney is valued at nearly $20,000. The nine choking systems are worth a combined $67,528, and the 23 valves are estimated to cost $9,778.
Police interviewed Bartimus on Sept. 21, and he admitted to the thefts at the well sites, according to court documents. Investigators did not say what happened to the equipment or if any of it was recovered.
A preliminary hearing on the new charges is set for 11:30 a.m. Thursday before Dayich.