Zachary Wayhart, 19, of Ballwin has been charged with two felonies for allegedly stealing from his former employer, according to court records. Warrants were issued Nov. 9.
Eureka Police reported they arrested Wayhart at a hotel room in Ellisville and took him to the St. Louis County Jail; court records indicate a $50,000 cash-only bond was set. He remained in custody Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 14).
Police report that the owner of Hart Farms Equestrian Center, 490 Forby Road, called Eureka Police at about 12:20 p.m. Nov. 7 after she saw her former employee with a silver Honda Accord backed up to a shed on the property.
She told police she saw Wayhart leaving the shed in a hurry and then speeding away from the property, the report said. The owner alleged Wayhart had previously stolen from the property, the report said.
Wayhart allegedly stole $2,482 worth of property, including a drill press, jigsaw, building materials, blue lawn chair, pair of boots, card table, portable heater, leaf blower and pipe wrench, the report said.
Eureka Police were able to locate about $100 worth of stolen property but were continuing on Monday (Nov. 13) to try to locate the other missing items, Lt. David Wilson said.
The St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against Wayhart for burglary in the second degree and stealing of $750 or more, both class D felonies, according to court records. The penalty for a class D felony is up to seven years in prison.
Wayhart may also be connected to damage to the shed door on the property, police said. Eureka Police were called to the center Oct. 28 when it was discovered that someone had tried to pry the shed door open between 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., a report said.
There was $500 worth of damage to the shed door, but nothing was taken from the shed, the report said.