Midvale councilman charged with felony burglary and theft

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A Midvale city councilman was charged with felony burglary and theft Thursday for allegedly breaking into his neighbor's garage and shed and stealing property, including a welding machine, engines and a cement mixer.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office charged Wayne Sharp, 46, with two counts of burglary and one count of theft, all third-degree felonies.

Sharp allegedly stole the heavy equipment in February with the help of two friends, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said. Sharp told his friends, falsely, that he needed their help to clean out the neighbor's garage and shed, Gill said.

The neighbor, who had been in the process of selling his house and didn't live at the home near 300 W. Wasatch St., discovered the missing items on Feb. 26 and reported it to Midvale police.

The police thought Sharp could be a suspect and handed the investigation to the district attorney's office because Sharp was a councilman and the city had a conflict of interest in investigating the case, Gill said.

Sharp later admitted to police and investigators with the DA's office that he broke into his neighbor's garage through a window and took a welding machine and four or five heavy engines, Gill said. In compensation, Sharp gave the welding machine to one of the people who helped him remove the items.

Sharp also admitted he took a cement mixer from a shed on the property, Gill said. Police found the mixer at Sharp's home, Gill said. Sharp also sold some of the other items. The amount Sharp earned from the sale was estimated at about $1,000.

"He certainly made money off the scrap," Gill said.

A message left on Sharp's phone Thursday asking for a comment was not returned. The Midvale city website states that Sharp owns and operates Sharp Yards, a landscape and maintenance business. He has served on the City Council since 1998.