Woman accused of stealing tools, checks

COEUR d’ALENE — A woman previously accused of possessing stolen checks is back in jail after police said she stole tools and then pawned them.

Sarah V. Richards, 45, of Hayden, is charged with petty theft, a misdemeanor.

Police responded Oct. 20 to a report from a man who said someone had stolen a weed eater and a leaf blower from an unlocked trailer while he was away for the weekend, sometime between Oct. 16 and 18.

Police determined on Oct. 23 that the weed eater had been pawned in Spokane by a woman who was identified as Richards, according to court documents.

Surveillance footage reportedly showed Richards and a man later identified as George A. Cato, 45, in the shop where Richards allegedly pawned the weed eater.

By Oct. 23, Richards was already in jail after being accused of a different crime. She was arrested Oct. 22 and charged with three counts of grand theft of a financial instrument, all felonies, after police allegedly found stolen checks in her car.

Richards told police she had pawned the weed eater, according to court documents.

Cato, who was reportedly in Richards’ car at the time of her arrest, was also arrested Oct. 22 for allegedly stealing a credit card out of a mailbox in August, according to court documents.

However, police said Richards and Cato were both released soon after their arrests because charges had not been filed.

Grand theft charges were filed against Richards on Oct. 29, according to court documents, and petty theft charges were filed Nov. 12.

A judge issued a warrant for Richards’ arrest Nov. 12 and she was arrested the same day. She is being held on $2,500 bail, according to court documents.

A warrant was issued for Cato’s arrest on Oct. 29. He was reportedly arrested Oct. 30 and is being held on $20,000 bail.