PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
Pierce County authorities are looking for a pair of excavator thieves.
On Friday morning, deputies received a report about a stolen excavator and trailer in the Puyallup area. At approximately 7 a.m., officers responded to the scene on the 66th Ave E, off of 112th St E.
“Deputies obtained surveillance video showing two suspects arriving in a truck and using bolt cutters to open the fence,” the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office wrote on its Facebook page. “Within minutes, they hooked up the trailer, with the excavator loaded, and drove away.”
You can watch that surveillance video here.
“We don’t have a lot, other than that surveillance… the community is going to be our best investigators at this point,” said Deputy Carly Cappetto from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
Employees at Meridian Center Electric reported that someone had broken through the lot’s fencing just days earlier, possibly to assess what equipment was needed for the theft.
Stealing heavy equipment is not uncommon, as thieves often use such machinery to commit other crimes, such as stealing ATMs.
“We don’t know the intent of what these suspects are going to use the excavator for,” said Cappetto.
Meridian Center Electric noted that while their equipment is equipped with tracking devices, the stolen excavator, which belonged to another company, did not have one.
“If you recognize the truck or know who the suspects are, please call in an anonymous tip to our Crime Stoppers line. If your tip leads to their arrest and charges, you could receive up to $1,000,” the post said.
You can submit a tip using the P3 Tips app or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS.
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