Suspect in cannon theft turns self in
A Burlington man suspected in the theft of a cast-iron cannon has turned himself in a week after a warrant was issued for his arrest, Burlington Police Officer James Wu said.
Leonard Bessette, 54, appeared in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington late Wednesday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to a charge of petty larceny of property worth less than $900. He was released on conditions, including that he have no contact with cannon owner Kip de Moll and avoid going on de Moll's property.
Bessette also was ordered to avoid contact with de Moll's neighbor Joy McGrath, who told police she recognized Bessette and another man when they went to de Moll's Riverside Avenue house. McGrath told the police she was unsure why Bessette and David Brooks, 48, were at de Moll's house. De Moll later reported his cannon and an air conditioner were missing, the police said.
An arrest warrant also was issued for Brooks. He remained at large as of early afternoon Wednesday. Wu said Brooks is wanted on suspicion of petty larceny. Wu said Brooks pawned the cannon for $150 at Conant Metal and Light on Pine Street, where the antique was discovered Tuesday.
Wu has said both men are known to police for their involvement in past crimes.
The cast-iron cannon is a 1920s-era family heirloom that was passed down to de Moll by his industrialist grandfather. The relic stands about 18 inches off the ground and weighs a couple hundred pounds, de Moll said.
De Moll told the Burlington Free Press the cannon had been missing from his porch for about three weeks before it was recovered. This is the second time the cannon was taken from de Moll's property since 2008.
Both times, the cannon was recovered after Burlington residents read stories about the stolen heirloom in the Free Press.
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Contact Elizabeth Murray at 651-4835 or emurray@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LizMurraySMC.