By Karen Hall

Editor

The City of Lewisburg lost over $50,000 worth of lawncare equipment when daring thieves emptied the city's storage building at Lone Oak Cemetery.

"It was horrible," said City Manager Randall Dunn. "It was a real punch in the stomach. It's sad and disappointing such a thing could happen."

Between 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, and 6 a.m. Monday, Aug. 12, thieves removed sheet metal screws from the back of the building until they could lift the metal siding up like a curtain and slip inside, Dunn said.

The main door was opened from the inside and the city's 2002 white Chevy 2500 four-wheel-drive pickup truck was driven out and hitched to the city's 18-foot flatbed trailer with ramps.

Then the thieves loaded three Scag mowers, 10 Stihl string trimmers, four backpack blowers, an air impact gun and set of sockets, another set of sockets, chains and tools, and a metal detector, and drove away.

The mowers are "top of the line," according to Dunn, and worth $8,000 each. Total value of the rest of the missing items, including the truck and trailer, is estimated at $31,350.

As for getting the missing equipment back, Dunn says all the serial numbers are on record, and the string trimmers have "#2 Lone Oak" engraved on the side of them. The pickup truck has City of Lewisburg stickers on the doors, but Dunn thought they could easily be spray painted over.

An insurance claim has been filed, the city manager said, and the city is in the process of replacing the equipment.

The truck's license plate was GU 1525, though it has probably been changed by now. The truck has a toolbox and its VIN number is 1GCHC23U22F2049; the trailer's VIN is 1G9U718208MO85354.

If county residents spot the truck or trailer, or are offered bargain price Scag mowers or Stihl string trimmers, they are urged to contact the Lewisburg Police Department at (931) 359-4044, the Marshall County Sheriff's Department at (931) 359-6122 or Crime Stoppers at (931) 359-4867.