Timber Theft, Aug. 11

News release Coos Co. Sheriff’s Office. In July, 2016 the Coos County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into a report of timber theft occurring in the forest south of Powers, Oregon. Foresters reported finding three men trying to remove a very large cedar stump from the woods. During their initial contact one of the men even posed for a photograph with the intended reward for their efforts. Investigation indicated Kurt Lively, age 59, William Smith, age 56 and Russell Koser, age 34 attempted to remove the estimated 30,000 pound stump by rolling onto a makeshift trailer which appeared to have at one time been the skeletal structure of a single wide mobile home or something similar. When the men rolled the stump onto the trailer it crushed the trailer in place. The men left and returned a short time later with another larger and stronger trailer. Using other apparatus the men again rolled the stump onto the waiting trailer. When they did this two things happened. One, the first trailer being now embedded into the stump clung to the stump and was now hanging feet from the ground and two, the weight of the stump crushed the second trailer flat as well. Shortly after the crushing of the second trailer they were found as they tried to figure out what to do next. Kurt Lively and William Smith were located and arrested. They were booked into the Coos County Jail on a single charge of Unlawful Cutting and Harvest of Minor Forest Products. Russel Koser has not been located and is being referred to the Coos County District Attorney’s office for consideration of criminal charges. This investigation is still ongoing and other charges are possible.