Lawn Equipment Theft Prevention

A common type of theft this time of year is that of lawn maintenance equipment.  Thefts of this type are often “crimes of opportunity”, according to Sheriff Jay Russell.  Homeowners often leave lawn mowers, blowers, weed eaters and related equipment in open carports, on equipment trailers or just in plain view at their homes while no one is present.  This makes the items easy targets for any potential thieves that are looking for valuable items they can steal and sell for quick cash.  Sheriff Russell reminds everyone that it is a good practice to store these type items out of sight, preferably in a secure area.  It is also a good idea to record the mfg. information of the items, especially serial numbers and any identifying marks, should they be stolen.  This makes identifying any recovered property much easier and assures it is returned to the proper owner.  Sheriff Russell stated that while this will not prevent every theft, it will greatly reduce them as the easy opportunity to steal the equipment is removed.