School district has its truck back; man who stole it to serve year in county jail

LACONIA — The School District has its plow truck back and the man who stole it from the Huot Center at the High School and crashed it near Mile Hill in Belmont is behind bars.

Dennis Lefebvre, 34, whose last official address was in Florida, pleaded guilty in the Belknap County Superior Court to one count of burglary for breaking into the High School on August 14 and one count of receiving stolen property after being arrested by a Belmont Police officer.

A charge of driving while intoxicated is still pending before the 4th Circuit Court, Laconia Division.

Lefebvre was sentenced to 12 months in the Belknap County House of Corrections, all of which will be served, and 31/2 to 7 years in the N.H. State Prison, all of which was suspended.

Because of Lefebvre's actions, the School District has been without its only pickup — a 2012 F-350 — since August because it had been impounded as evidence.

School Administrator Ed Emond, who was at yesterday's sentencing, said the truck is used for plowing, salting and sanding as well as general maintenance of school properties.

The district had filed a motion to return the property about three weeks ago but Judge James O'Neill denied it temporarily and scheduled a hearing for yesterday.

With the criminal case resolved, the Belknap County Attorney's Office and Lefebvre's defense attorney have no further need for the truck.

O'Neill ordered it be released immediately.

According to Belmont Police reports, Lefebvre drove the truck off the road while on Mile Hill Road, causing a resident to file a report with police who arrested him a short time later.

Emond said it appears there is some minor damage to the truck and it will have to be fixed before it can be used.

As part of Lefebvre's sentence, he is ordered to pay restitution to the Laconia School District for the as yet undetermined amount of damage. Once the school district has it fixed, Lefebvre can ask for a hearing about the costs associated with that.

Lefebvre was also ordered to pay the school district $170 for damage he caused during the course of the burglary. He is also ordered not to enter the property of the Laconia School District.

During the sentencing, Lefebvre apologized to the School District and said he took full responsibility for what he'd done.

A second man, Tyler Marchand, has also been indicted for one count of burglary. At the time of Lefebvre arrest, Marchand was a passenger in the stolen pick-up truck. He told police that he was walking down Union Avenue when Lefebvre picked him up.

At yesterday's offer of proof, Deputy County Attorney Adam Wood said the video tape recovered from the school shows two men inside the high school but the tape was inconclusive as to who was driving the truck when it left the premises.