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Highlands Today

Three Accused Of Stealing Transaxles

SEBRING MAN, 2 TEENS ARRESTED

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By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: August 6, 2008

  Joseph Pennington

SEBRING - A Sebring man was arrested and two teenage boys were in the care of the Department of Juvenile Justice on Wednesday after sheriff's deputies say they removed five vehicle transaxles from a Deer Trail field and tried to sell them.

A transaxle, in the automotive field, is a component that combines the functionality of the transmission, the differential and the drive axle into one integrated assembly, according to Wikipedia.com.

Joseph William Pennington, 26, of 313 N. Franklin St., was charged with grand theft $300 or more but less than $5,000 and dealing in stolen property. He remained in Highlands County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bond on Wednesday.

The youths were also charged with grand theft and dealing in stolen property.

According to a sheriff's arrest report, Pennington enlisted the help of the two teenagers, a 16-year-old from Okeechobee and a 17-year-old with a Palmdale address, to go to an open field at the Deer Trail address on Aug. 5, pick up the transaxles and attempt to sell them at Jim's Auto Salvage, located on Cemetery Road, in Sebring.

Deputies were called at about 1:21 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, to Jim's Auto Salvage about a "theft in progress," the report stated.

The victim told investigators that the transaxles, valued at $300, were taken from his field without his permission. Deputy Elvin Ancheta spoke to the two teenagers who were sitting in a pickup truck parked on the scale, the report stated.

The youths told Ancheta that Pennington, who is stepfather to the 16-year-old, was given permission to take the transaxles so they loaded the five transaxles onto his black Dodge Dakota. He didn't trust Pennington, but went along with it anyway, he told the deputy.

The 17-year-old also said Pennington told them he had permission to scrap the transaxles. He reportedly admitted it sounded suspicious, but went along with it to help the 16-year-old, according to the report.

Pennington reportedly arrived with a load of transaxles while the boys were being questioned, the report stated.

He told the deputy that he got permission from an employee and that he took two loads of the transaxles on Aug. 4 and a third load on Aug. 5. He said he never spoke with the owner to get permission, the report stated.

Joe Seelig can be reached at (863) 386-5834 or jseelig@highlandstoday.com

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