TEMPLE, Texas — According to the Temple Police Department (TPD), assets crimes had been going down extra steadily in 2023 and the dept has observed an build up in the year-to-date numbers skilled remaining yr.
More lately, Temple Police have gained experiences of stolen heavy construction equipment, essentially skid steers. A spokesperson for TPD instructed 6 News there have been two skid steers reported stolen the week prior to Thanksgiving.Â
However, TPD stated heavy equipment thefts don’t seem to be thought to be a fashionable factor right now.
Fermin Salas, proprietor of Scorpion Concrete LLC, stated he lately had his $60,000 skid steer stolen.
Salas instructed 6 News he was once going not to be capable of paintings, or end jobs with out that piece of equipment. Fortunately, the skid steer was once situated and returned again to Salas after 3 days and the native trade proprietor wasn’t going to must spend the couple grand it might have price to interchange it.
“If we didn’t find it, we would’ve had to buy another one so we could keep working,” Salas defined. “We found it because of Facebook. A lot of people told me I wasn’t going to find [the skid steer], but I got lucky. Thanks to God too.”
Salas stated he has spotted different construction fabrics, like plywood, home windows and rebar, had been getting stolen too. He stated thieves appear to be keen to do the rest for the crime and assets house owners will have to offer protection to themselves.
“I recommend they take the work equipment to their home or lock it with chains,” Salas added.
Salas believes thieves are stealing the construction fabrics to show round and promote them to make a handy guide a rough dollar. He instructed 6 News that anyone was once seeking to promote his skid steer prior to he was once notified by way of a chum on Facebook.
A TPD spokesperson stated the dept “constantly reviews strategies and resources to combat criminal activity.” They additionally inspire the general public to make use of excellent crime prevention ways to lend a hand stay their equipment secure.
With assets crimes up from the former yr, Temple Police stated it’ll have greater circumstances of “unauthorized use of motor vehicles this year, mainly due to the Kia Boys Challenge and Hyundai vehicle design flaws.”
More from 6 News:
[/gpt3]