Two arrested in Colfax for stealing railroad property

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX — A 22-year-old man and a 24-year-old man have been arrested in Colfax for stealing property belonging to the Canadian National Railroad.

Jesse D. Thoms, 408 Cedar Street, and Richard J. Lipina, 202 Cedar Street, were arrested at about 11:15 p.m. on Wednesday, September 18, after Colfax police officer Michael Madrid observed them loading property into their vehicle that belonged to the railroad.

Thoms, 22, was charged with theft, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, and misdemeanor bail jumping.

Lipina, 24, was charged with theft and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Automobile parts belonging to Prince’s Auto Body also were discovered in Thoms’ and Lipina’s possession, said Colfax Police Chief Pete Gehring.

Canadian National has been notified of the theft, although no estimate of the value is available, he said.

The railroad property included scrap metal, angle iron, and some flat steel grates, Police Chief Gehring said.