Detectives recover farm equipment worth thousands stolen by suspect on crime spree

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Stone fruit grower Ryan Jackson is thankful none of his employees were hurt when detectives say Blayne Morris of Coalinga who, armed with an AR-15, made off with several thousand dollars worth of farm equipment from his Hanford ranch two months ago.

"This particular individual rammed our big rolled up door that was all secured with bolts," Jackson said. "Rammed it with the back of his pickup three or four times and then drug everything out with a chain and just destroyed stuff."

According to detectives, Morris broke in after dark and started taking everything that wasn't bolted down.

"I don't know if he had help or not, but he was able to get a quad and a couple of different trailers, some of our fertilizer pumps, generators, welders, air compressors..." Jackson said. "Normal ranch equipment that is easily pawned off."

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Detectives say Morris went up and down the Valley stealing farm equipment and tools and then stashed the stolen property at a yard in Kings County.

And that's where the Ag Task Force recovered some of Jackson's items over the weekend -- including a couple of trailers and ATV

Morris was shot and killed by deputies in Kings County following a late night pursuit last week.

"Praise the Lord for anything that was able to come back," Jackson said. "At the end of the day, we're very thankful for our police our Ag Crimes Task Force did a great job."

Ag Task Force detectives began multiple investigations earlier this month after a Dodge pick up truck was stolen in Riverdale and two other commercial burglaries in Coalinga and Laton.