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There was more equipment than would be needed to run Stables’ small cattle operation, Segu said.

Stables was identified as a suspect in February 2016 after a tractor was stolen from Cervus Equipment John Deere in Saskatoon then returned the next night, when a different tractor was taken. A Cervus customer told the dealership he had seen the tractor near Vanscoy.

Company employees flew over Stables’ ranch and saw the John Deere equipment, leading to the RCMP search.

“I would assume that there was (concern in the community about missing farm equipment) since people took the time to report matters to the police,” Segu said.

Cervus and Golden West Trailer Sales and Rental of Saskatoon were the primary victims of the thefts.

Golden West will receive $10,000 and Cervus $50,000. Cervus has also filed a civil lawsuit against Stables to recover the rest of its losses, which have not yet been determined by the court.

Almost half of the restitution will go to two people, Howard Toews and Ron Brown, who bought some of the equipment from Stables, according to defence lawyer Brad Mitchell.

The court ordered $27,000 be paid to Toews and $24,000 to Brown.

Mental illness is believed to be a factor in the crimes. Stables said he doesn’t remember committing the thefts over five years. He has been seen by two psychiatrists who said he may have a dissociative disorder, has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has previously been admitted to mental health facilities, court heard.

Stables’ wife, Jamie Van Cleemput, has said she didn’t know much about the day-to-day farm operations and thought the equipment was leased. On the day of the RCMP search, she told officers her husband wasn’t home. He was later found hiding in the bathroom.

Stables will be on an electronic monitor for one year, must obey a curfew in the second year and must comply with medical directions.

He runs Isla Bank Angus cattle ranch, which, according to an article on the Country Guide website, received a 75-year Heritage Award from the Canadian Angus Association in 2014.

badam@postmedia.com