A former Selma public works employee, allegedly tied to the theft of city property, appeared in District Court Wednesday where his bond was reduced from $500,000 to $30,000.

Terence Marshall is charged with first-degree theft of property. Authorities said they believe Marshall removed the drive shaft and transmission from an SUV stored at the city’s holding lot on Water Avenue, and then installed those parts into an SUV owned by another city employee.

District Court Judge Bob Armstrong reduced Marshall’s bond without a hearing, saying members of the Selma Police Department had set the bond outside the official bond schedule without a court hearing within 72 hours as required.

“It’s just not the way the system should work,” Armstrong said.

At one point during the afternoon, Armstrong held a brief meeting with Selma police detectives to talk about setting bonds and timeliness of hearings.

Marshall was arrested Monday.

Police also arrested Herman Ellis, who currently is an employee of the public works department for the city.

Authorities allege Ellis paid Marshall $200 to take the vehicle parts and paid another $150 for Marshall to install the parts in an SUV registered to Ellis.

Ellis is charged with receiving stolen property in the first degree. His bond was set at $250,000.

Ellis had paid his bond by Wednesday afternoon and did not make an appearance in District Court.