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Chandler business owner sets trap for thief

Posted at 12:48 PM, May 31, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-02 01:36:33-04

A savvy Chandler business owner set a trap and caught a man trying to sell her a forklift that didn't belong to him.

Deni General says she was working at her Chandler warehouse last week when a man showed up at "Good Health Manufacturing" in response to a Craigslist advertisement for a forklift for sale. Employees of the business informed him that the forklift was not for sale and he provided them with the advertiser’s information.

“I didn’t know what to think, I was so shocked. What kind of terrible person does something like that,” General said.

She had one of her employees respond to the ad, inquire about the forklift and set up an appointment to buy the machinery from 44-year-old Steven Wayne Blok.

She says Blok chose the location, which was in fact her warehouse address, said to meet at night and even had a key to let them in when she showed up with two other employees.

“He introduced himself as Deni. He used my name.” General said.

Blok also went on to name the business and explain to her what the company did, General said.

General recorded the transaction as Blok tried to sell her her own forklift for $4,000. One of her employees took it for a test drive and kept Blok occupied with questions while General stepped out to call police.

“He had no idea, he was calm and in a good mood because he thought he was going to make some money,” she said.

When police arrived Blok ran from officers, through the building, hopping a fence and hiding on another property until a police dog found him and he was arrested, court documents said.

Keys to the business were found in his pocket.

Blok has been charged with theft, burglary and trafficking in stolen property.