MITCHELL— Authorities said a Mitchell man has been charged with theft after allegedly stealing a toolbox from a local hardware store.
On Jan. 30, 2025, Officer Cody Grogan of the Mitchell Police Department responded to a report of shoplifting at Ace Hardware, located at 1206 Main Street. The Store Manager reported that a male suspect stole a Craftsman Versa Stack toolbox valued at $128.39, including tax.
According to store employees, the suspect placed the toolbox near the northwest entrance before walking around the store while talking on a cellphone. Cashiers noted the man’s suspicious behavior. After one cashier left for a lunch break, the other observed the suspect exit the store with the toolbox without paying.
The cashier followed the man to his gray Ford Escape and confronted him about the unpaid item. The suspect claimed he had already paid, but when she attempted to take a photo of his license plate, she discovered it was covered with cardboard. After removing the covering, she captured an image of the plate before the suspect sped away.
The license plate number, TK165ONS, was traced to a 2000 Ford F-150 registered to Daniel R. McKenzie, 38, of Orange County. Authorities attempted to locate McKenzie at the registered address but were unsuccessful.
On Feb. 3, Officer Grogan spotted the Ford Escape on Main Street and initiated a traffic stop after the plate was found to be registered to a different vehicle. McKenzie, who was driving, claimed he had recently traded his truck for the Escape. However, Grogan was able to positively identify McKenzie as the suspect in the store’s surveillance footage.
When questioned, McKenzie denied being at Ace Hardware since December 2024. Later that day, he reportedly called the store manager in an attempt to make restitution for the stolen toolbox.
McKenzie was charged with theft and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
