Nathan J. Veltrop, 40, of Jefferson City, is in custody, and he, along with Christopher O. Craft, 52, and Jeremy D. Morris, 25, also of Jefferson City, are facing charges following the conclusion of a months-long investigation into the theft of a service truck from Lock’s Mill Propane, along with a variety of tools and two firearms, all of which have been recovered.
Det. Sgt. Vic Weir of the Osage County Sheriff’s Office met with Det. Greg Henson of the Cole County Sheriff’s Office on April 12 to discuss the situation. While there, the story began to unfold, from the theft of the truck on Nov. 2, 2020, to its recovery the next day, and subsequent recovery of the other stolen items.
According to Lock’s Mill owner Ryan Crow, who identified all of the property missing when the truck was found, the propane service truck was located within a secure building at the time it was stolen. The truck had a boom, and a variety of tools used for setting and maintaining propane tanks and appliances, with a value of several hundred dollars.
Veltrop was identified as a prime suspect based on the circumstantial evidence that he had stayed with Theresa Miloro at her house, which is located across from Lock’s Mill Propane, until two weeks before the theft. According to Weir, Miloro told Det. Henson that Veltrop stole the truck but would not testify or give a written statement to the fact.
During his visit with Henson, Weir spoke with Justin Simmons, who said he saw Veltrop drive the truck onto the property on Lisletown Road in Cole County on Nov. 2. Further, he observed the truck be stripped of tools and equipment, after which, Veltrop backed the truck out of the driveway and struck a tree so hard that it broke a rear-mounted vise. According to Weir’s probable cause statement, Veltrop loaded a large red toolbox into his personal truck, and he placed equipment and tools from the truck on the ground around the house and covered them with leaves.
Weir and Crow confirmed the damage to the rear of the truck.
Veltrop later confessed to stealing the truck and taking it to his residence in Cole County. According to the probable cause statement, Veltrop claims that Jeremy Morris drove him to the location of the theft, and admitted to entering the building and stealing the truck.
Veltrop told detectives that Craft helped him, and received property from the theft for his part in the caper.
Morris, meanwhile, confessed to giving Veltrop a ride to steal the truck and picking him up after the truck was dumped on Schott Road. The Cole County Sheriff’s Office recovered the truck on Bess Hill Road. Both firearms — a .22 caliber bolt-action rifle and Tristar Arms Viper G2 shotgun — were in the building from which the truck was stolen. Morris told detectives he wanted to buy the shotgun from Veltrop but it had been given to someone else. The guns are valued at a combined $650.
Veltrop is a convicted felon on probation for several crimes, including stealing and drug possession, and is currently charged with felony stealing in Cole County. He is currently being held in the Osage County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bond.
Craft and Morris, meanwhile, are not in custody.