Burglary and theft charges were lodged against a suspect allegedly caught in the act of stealing property from a workshop late Thursday on Halls Hill Pike, a sheriff’s corporal reported.

            Victim Stephen Bell was driving on Halls Hill Pike when he spotted a truck parked by the side door of his old workshop located at his father’s home, Cpl. Nigel Kapadia reported.

            “Mr. Bell stated that he saw Mr. (Randall Lee) Abbott walking out of the side door with items in his hand,” Kapadia reported.

            Bell approached Abbott and saw he allegedly had taken nine lawnmower engines, a set of pulley wheels and an anvil, the corporal reported. When Bell called the sheriff’s office, Abbott returned the items.

            When Kapadia arrived, Abbott approached him and said, “I did it. I thought it was abandoned. I was just trying to make a little money.”

            Kapadia charged Abbott with burglary and theft over $1,000. Abbott, 26, of Serena Court in Murfreesboro , was booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center . He was scheduled to answer the charges July 30 in General Sessions Court .