A months-long investigation into a theft ring has resulted in the recovery of all reported stolen vehicles, including UTVs, dirt bikes, and trailers taken from multiple businesses and private citizens across Iowa.
Timeline of Events:
• March 13, 2025: Greiner’s Implement in Ottumwa, Iowa reported a 2023 Yanmar UTV stolen from the business.
• March 25, 2025: A Wapello County resident on Rock Bluff Road in Ottumwa reported their Kawasaki dirt bike had just been stolen. The victim followed the suspect and contacted 911. Law enforcement responded and recovered a stolen Polaris RZR, which was later confirmed to have been stolen from Van Wall Power Sports in Indianola, Iowa. The Kawasaki dirt bike was not recovered at that time.
• March 26, 2025: Based on information gathered during the dirt bike investigation, Wapello County deputies requested assistance from the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office. Their Deputies responded to a residence in Bussey, Iowa, where they recovered the stolen Kawasaki dirt bike after an individual attempted to flee and discard the vehicle.
• March 27, 2025: A U-Haul trailer was located abandoned behind a barn in a remote, rural area in Wapello County. Investigators traced it back and confirmed it had been stolen on May 23, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa, although it had not yet been reported to law enforcement.
• June 1, 2025: A 2017 Polaris RZR XP 1000 was stolen from RJ Performance in Ottumwa, Iowa. Surveillance footage showed two suspects committing the theft. Additional cameras in Wapello County captured the stolen RZR traveling toward Mahaska County.
• June 2, 2025: A 2021 Polaris RZR was again stolen from RJ Performance. Video surveillance captured the suspects committing the theft.
• June 5, 2025: Wapello County investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for a residence in Bussey, Iowa, with the assistance of Mahaska County deputies. During the search, critical interviews were conducted that advanced the investigation significantly.
• June 8, 2025: Information gathered from interviews was shared with the Huerfano County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado. Deputies in Colorado then went and recovered the 2021 Polaris RZR stolen from RJ Performance in a rural area within their jurisdiction.
• August 12, 2025: Wapello County investigators contacted the Lincoln, Nebraska Drug Task Force with intelligence that the stolen 2023 Yanmar UTV from Greiner’s Implement was in their jurisdiction. A search warrant was executed by them, and the stolen UTV was successfully recovered.
• September 17, 2025: The final outstanding stolen vehicle, a 2017 Polaris RZR taken from RJ Performance, was found abandoned in the woods in Marion County, Iowa by individuals working in the area.
This investigation led to the recovery of all stolen vehicles and equipment, spanning multiple jurisdictions and states. Investigators executed numerous search warrants, conducted critical interviews, and coordinated efforts across Iowa, Nebraska, and Colorado.
As a result of the investigation, it was determined that Aaron Shane Keegal (29) and another individual—now deceased—were responsible for the crimes.
Keegal has been incarcerated at the Mahaska County Jail since July 9, 2025, on unrelated charges. The Wapello County Sheriff’s Office has applied for arrest warrants in connection with this lengthy investigation, and charges are pending.
Our office would like to thank all Law Enforcement agencies, businesses, and individuals that assisted in this investigation, including the staff at RJ Performance and the Marion and Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation; all persons are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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