URBANA – A rural Ogden man has been arrested for a burglary to a shed in Royal last fall which sheriff's investigators say is similar to other shed burglaries in northeastern Champaign County.

Ronald Olson, 62, who listed an address on County Road 2550 E, was charged in a warrant issued Thursday by Judge Rich Klaus with the Oct. 6, 2008, burglary to a machine shed in rural Royal.

Assistant State's Attorney Steve Ziegler said the charge alleges that Olson, or one for whose conduct he may be responsible, entered a shed on County Road 2400 N and stole a zero-turn radius riding lawn mower, a trailer sprayer and a trailer.

Ziegler said the trailer, with the items on it, was recovered on Oct. 20 in far eastern Champaign County near the scene of another shed burglary in Vermilion County in which a zero-turning radius riding lawn mower had been stolen.

"We have a witness who saw what's believed to be Olson's truck in that area that night," Ziegler said of the recovery of the trailer, which had unique characteristics.

"This trailer had been physically altered. There were some specific pieces used in the alteration – metal work – that appears to be traceable to (Olson). We have what appears to be his fingerprint on the altered part of the trailer," Ziegler said.

Champaign County sheriff's Lt. Ed Ogle, whose department has been investigating shed burglaries in the northeast part of the county since 2006, said that last week detectives searched Olson's residence in Ogden and another in rural Royal where he's been staying.

"We took several items of evidence," Ogle said, declining to say what they seized.

Although police have linked Olson to only one shed burglary, Ogle said detectives continue to investigate other similar break-ins dating to 2006 in which all-terrain vehicles, riding lawn mowers and air compressors were among the items stolen. He asked that anyone with information on those crimes call his office at 384-1213 or Crimestoppers at 373-8477.

"I know there's been over $200,000 worth of items taken," Ogle said.

In many of the burglaries, property owners had left machine sheds unlocked and keys in their ATVs or lawn mowers, police said. Ogle said Olson turned himself in at the county jail about 5 p.m. Thursday.

He was expected to appear in arraignment court this afternoon.