October 25, 2025
Man Charged In Tomato Theft
SELMA – A 61-year-old Selma man is facing felony charges after authorities say he helped himself to someone else’s tomatoes—and a garden trowel.
On the morning of September 30, Johnston County deputies responded to a report of a suspicious man riding a bicycle through a yard in the 400 block of River Run Road. When officers arrived around 7:45 a.m., they quickly located the individual nearby.
The man, identified as Todd Franklin Dowd of Bizzell Grove Church Road, was arrested after deputies discovered a small building on the property had been broken into.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Dowd allegedly made off with 15 tomatoes and a garden trowel.
The stolen produce and tool were recovered and returned to the owner.
Dowd was charged with felony breaking and entering and felony larceny, and held on a $65,000 bond. Deputies also served an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court related to a 2024 charge of driving with a revoked license.
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That bond seems way exaggerated!!! 65K bond for 15 tomatoes and a trowel is excessive, even if you consider the failure to appear and driving with a revoked license. Seems that the magistrate needs to revisit his guidelines and better understand the purpose on bond. What a disgrace to jurisprudence.
I agree. That bond IS excessively high.
I was thinking the same thing. Lord, I would have given the man some tomato plants.
Two things – magistrate’s are being scrutinized for bonds that are too low, especially if the individual has a substantial criminal record… and 2) this individual has a substantial criminal record.
65K bond for 15 tomatoes and a trowel. Seems that he the accused is being treated like Jean Valjean. Criminal background or not 65K bond for 15 tomatoes is indicative of judicial mistreatment and injustice.
It’s not just the tomatoes and trowel. Don’t forget the felony breaking and entering and felony larceny.
It only list a DWLR in 2024. I have stupid things I did 30 years ago on my record but that does not reflect who I am today. He should be evaluated by the crime at hand, not his past which all I see is a FTA.
While it seems excessive bond, this individual has a lengthy and excessive criminal record and has served numerous prison sentences. He has violated numerous probation sentences for which he has served active prison time. It is not like this was his first time, just being tomatoes. You should see his arrest record and amount of time spent in jail and prison without any retribution. He has been a menace to society and an embarrassment to his own family. He even stole from his elderly parents, so let the record tell the truth. He is where he should be. He has failed to show any remorse or rehabilitation.
In Some Countrys They Cut off a Thief’s Hands .. I’m for than … With no hands The POS can’t Steal .. I Hate a Daym Thief ..!