Missouri
Here’s how a $20 tracker cracked a massive theft operation in Missouri — plus 3 ways to protect your own valuables
When the St. Louis County Parks Department purchased a $56,000 TimberKing Sawmill, it likely never expected the purchase would one day lead to the discovery of a multi-county theft operation.
“We purchased this [TimberKing Sawmill] so we could better utilize urban wood waste instead of just putting it into a dump,” Jason Pratte shared with NewsNation. “We kept it under lock and key — what we believed was a secure location.”
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Unfortunately, that location proved to be a lot less secure than the department had thought. The sawmill was eventually stolen, and even though park officials had placed an AirTag on the machine, the tag was unable to track the sawmill’s location.
“It always said no location found, no location found,” said Pratte. “I was starting to give up hope.”
AirTag activation leads to big discovery
For months, parks department officials waited for the AirTag to activate and reveal the location of the stolen sawmill. And then, out of nowhere, the $20 tracker was activated, giving the parks department exact GPS coordinates to where the sawmill could be found.
As it turns out, the AirTag was not activated when the sawmill was initially stolen because no one near the mill’s new location was using Apple technology, which apparently is needed for the tag’s GPS tracking to kick in. A police investigation revealed that the thieves eventually sold the sawmill to a man in Hawk Point who owned an iPhone, and it was the man’s mobile device that activated the AirTag on the sawmill.
“He gave us the information of the gentleman who sold it to him for an unbelievable price,” said detective Andrew Lucca of the Maryland Heights Police Department.
Authorities now believe the stolen sawmill was taken to a property in Wildwood, where it was stored for months before it was sold to the man in Hawk Point. During a visit to the Wildwood property, police discovered other equipment that was also believed to be stolen, including golf carts, a John Deere Gator UTV and two Bobcat skid loaders that are worth six figures each.
“Just a $20 AirTag tracker is what led, really, to this case being solved,” said Lucca.
While police were able to find those who committed the crimes and return the stolen property to its rightful owners, this story proves how important it is to take extra steps to ensure the safety of your valuable items.
Read more: Home prices in America could fly through the roof in 2025 — here’s the big reason why and how to take full advantage (with as little as $10)
3 ways to keep your possessions secure
If the parks department had not put the AirTag on its expensive sawmill, the thieves likely wouldn’t have been caught and all of their stolen goods could still be in their possession. But the parks department was wise enough to go the extra mile to protect its expensive and valuable item, and that’s a good lesson for all of us.
Fortunately, there are plenty of easy ways for individuals to follow the parks department’s lead and protect their valuable possessions:
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GPS tracker: Place a GPS tracking device, like an AirTag, on valuable items so that you can track their location if they ever go missing.
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Mobile alerts: Set up mobile alerts with your banking apps so you can be notified of unusual activity on your accounts. If your credit card is stolen, or if your checking account has been hacked and cash has been withdrawn, you can find out right away and get in touch with your bank.
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Store valuable items in a secure location: Consider installing a safe in your home for keeping valuable items. If a safe in your home isn’t an option, you may also consider a safe deposit box at a local bank.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) – Governor Mike Kehoe signed Missouri’s Fiscal Year 2027 operating and capital improvement budget bills Tuesday, approving a plan that totals $50.7 billion.
In a news release, Kehoe said the budget is balanced and focuses on what he called “smart and necessary investments” while protecting taxpayer dollars.
What’s in the FY27 budget?
The governor’s office said the FY27 operating budget totals about $49.8 billion after vetoes, including $15.7 billion in general revenue.
State leaders highlighted several funding priorities:
Public safety
- $2 billion for law enforcement and community safety initiatives
- Includes funding for Missouri Blue Shield grants, Operation Relentless Pursuit and law enforcement academy scholarships, among other items
Economic development
- $338 million for business growth and innovation
- Includes support for the Missouri Technology Corporation, a statewide apprenticeship program, Missouri One Start and a public-private-employee shared funding child care model
Agriculture
- $59.4 million for agriculture and rural communities
- Includes investments tied to infrastructure and programs, including low-volume roads and Missouri FFA
Education
- $9.8 billion for K-12 and higher education
- Includes funding for the K-12 education foundation formula and transportation, the Empowerment Scholarship Account Program, career and technical centers and higher education
Health care
- $24.8 billion to support Missourians with physical, developmental and behavioral health needs
- Includes funding for self-directed supports, outpatient competency restoration and Medicaid reform
Concern over one-time funding, FY28 gap
The governor’s office said lawmakers stayed largely within his recommended spending levels, but did so by using $179.1 million in one-time cash to cover ongoing costs.
The state is also facing a projected shortfall of more than $500 million in FY28, according to the release.
“State government doesn’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem, and continuing to spend faster than we grow our economy is not a sustainable path forward,” Kehoe said in the news release.
Vetoes and spending restrictions
To meet the constitutional requirement of a balanced budget, Kehoe issued:
- 65 vetoes totaling more than $30 million in general revenue
- 78 expenditure restrictions totaling $441.3 million, including $337.2 million in general revenue
The governor’s office said the vetoes and restrictions were largely tied to new projects, improper funding sources for new appropriations or an over-appropriation of various funds.
What’s next
Budget discussions are expected to continue as state officials look ahead to FY28 and the projected gap.
Copyright 2026 KFVS. All rights reserved.
The Kansas City Chiefs selected linebacker Nick Bolton in the second round, 58th overall, of the 2021 NFL Draft. The University of Missouri Tigers star is a two-time Super Bowl champion and can now add Hall of Famer to his resume after a special reveal from head coach Andy Reid after a recent team practice.
“You guys know I’m a Missouri Tiger at heart; I had a chance to coach there, for you that didn’t know, before I got in the NFL. We got a couple of Missouri Tigers here, but we got one that’s real, real famous right now. Not only for his play here with the Chiefs, but also what he did at the University of Missouri,” said Reid. “He did great things there. We know him as kind of a team guy. He’s Nick Bolton, right? We know him as a team guy, the ultimate team guy, but today you’re going to get an individual award, bud. Today you’re going into the University of Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame.”
During his college football career at Missouri, Bolton was named First-Team All-SEC in 2019 and 2020 and Second-Team All-American in 2020.
Bolton had another impressive season in 2025, leading the Chiefs with 154 total tackles, along with a sack and an interception. He was selected as an alternate for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Despite conflict between the U.S. and Iran, gas prices in Missouri have been falling since last month, and even last week.
According to GasBuddy.com, average gas prices in Missouri have gone down 53.9 cents a gallon since last month and 9.9 cents per gallon since last week. This correlates with national average gas prices, which have been down 55.6 cents per gallon since last month and 6.9 cents per gallon last week.
Head of Petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, Patrick De Haan, says, “Fresh attacks were traded between the U.S. and Iran before both sides agreed to halt hostilities just in time Sunday, preventing what could have been a significant spike in oil prices.”
Patrick says that even though the market is unpredictable at the moment, “GasBuddy anticipates the national average will continue drifting lower this week.”
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