Man accused of stealing from school, business

A man has been charged with felony theft and misdemeanor criminal mischief for allegedly stealing from a business and a school.

Richard Eugene Prangley, 32, was booked into jail on Jan. 21.

According to court documents, Prangley originally was arrested Jan. 5 for breaking into a storage shed and stealing a snowblower worth $800 from Lakeside Elementary School. Prangley allegedly admitted to the crime.

The arrest for the snowblower theft came a month after Prangley was implicated in another theft outside a Kalispell automotive shop during the first week of December 2015. In that case, the owner found several vehicles were damaged and burglarized, causing a loss of more than $1,500.

Some stolen items were found at a pawn shop the same day the theft was reported. The pawn shop’s owner said Prangley had come into the store and sold him several items.

More of the stolen items were found the next day at a different pawn shop. An officer spoke to the man who pawned the items, who said Prangley had given them to him to settle a debt.

Prangley remains in the Flathead County Detention Center. His bail is set at $2,985. Arraignment is set for Feb. 11.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.