CAPITAL REGION — A Waterford man and his two nephews from Mechanicville face charges in an alleged crime spree that netted more than $200,000 in stolen landscaping equipment, state police said Tuesday.

Two other Saratoga County men were charged with possessing stolen property taken from equipment dealerships or work sites in several counties over the past two years.

State police said many of the stolen items have been recovered.

Last November, Stephen J. Miller, 29, of Mechanicville, was charged in Saratoga County with three counts of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Investigator Todd McPhail said the arrest followed a tip that broke the case that began in 2005 when equipment began disappearing from sites in Washington, Saratoga, Rensselaer, Columbia and Albany counties.

“We got a tip on the location of a lawn mower that had been stolen from Easton,” McPhail said. “The tip was from someone who said they knew [Miller] couldn’t afford the purchase price of the equipment.”

Miller’s cousin, Kevin L. Miller, 31, Mechanicville, was later arrested and charged with three counts of third-degree grand larceny.

The men’s uncle, William H. Miller, 52, of Waterford, was arrested on one count of third-degree grand larceny as well as violation of probation.

Police said Kevin and William Miller are accused of stealing trailers and then driving to dealerships or work sites and taking additional equipment.

The late-night thefts are alleged to have occurred in Greenwich, Easton, Claverack, Glenmont, Catskill, Hoosick, Ghent, Schodack, Malta and Mechanicville, according to McPhail.

He said the men acquired keys to the tractors and other equipment but he wouldn’t say how they obtained the keys.

“To date, the theft of approximately $204,716 worth of stolen property can be traced to the five subjects. Of that, approximately $184,388 worth of stolen property has been recovered,” McPhail said.

In addition to the Millers, Christopher G. Fisher, 35, of Stillwater, has been charged with one count of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property and violation of probation.

Robert P. Stockwell, 54, of Mechanicville, has been charged with one count of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

McPhail said police believe Fisher and Stockwell knew they were buying stolen equipment.

“When you buy a $40,000 piece of equipment for $5,000, you know something’s not right,” McPhail said.

Fisher, Stockwell, Kevin and William Miller were arraigned in Easton Town Court and ordered held in the Washington County Jail until bail is posted, police said.

McPhail said equipment that has been recovered so far includes two New Holland skid steers and an open-deck trailer reported stolen from Capital Tractor Sales in Greenwich and valued at $77,770; a brush chipper valued at $26,373 and reported stolen from Vermeer’s Heavy Equipment in Schodack, large riding mowers, a $29,000 John Deere tractor, a snow plow allegedly taken from Malta and several enclosed trailers that police said were used to haul equipment.

“Most of the items were stolen during the evening hours,” McPhail said. “Sometimes the items were sold to other parties and some of the equipment was maintained for their own use.”

He said the men had gained a reputation as able to get specific equipment if it was requested.

Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III said Stephen Miller was arrested in Mechanicville and pleaded guilty in Saratoga County Court to a charge of possession of stolen property.

“He’s already begun serving a one-year sentence in the Saratoga County jail,” Murphy said.

He said the other four men are being prosecuted in Washington County.