Maricopa Man Snatches Gator, Authorities Track Him Down

In a curious case out of Maricopa, local man David Taylor Gregory found himself in trouble after stealing not one, but two John Deere Gators. His reasoning? Simply needing a ride.

According to reports, the Maricopa Police Department (MPD) responded to a theft call just before 6:30 a.m. on Monday. The theft involved two Gators stolen from a job site the previous night, one valued at nearly $19,000 and the other at $6,000.

What Gregory didn’t account for were the Apple Air Tag tracking systems embedded in the vehicles. These trackers proved pivotal in locating the stolen Gators. Around noon, officers discovered Gregory operating the green two-door Gator near the intersection of Hidden Valley and Bowlin Roads. When questioned about how he came to possess the vehicle, the 54-year-old openly admitted to stealing it, citing his need for transportation.

The second Gator was subsequently located on Gregory’s property. Both vehicles were returned to their rightful owner. In a further twist, surveillance footage from the job site matched Gregory’s appearance, solidifying the case against him.

As a result, Gregory was arrested and charged with two counts of theft, with the total value of the stolen items nearing $25,000. In Arizona, this constitutes a felony, which carries a potential prison sentence of three to 12½ years for first-time offenders.