‘It’s made me real angry:’ Landscaper rails against thieves who stole thousands in equipment

WSBTV.com News Staff
·2 min read

A landscaping professional says a crew of thieves stole his work trailer from his driveway in Decatur while he was out to dinner Saturday night.

“Had a hitch lock on it, but no tire boot. They kind of drive around here every day, waiting for the right opportunity to steal it. The loss, probably about $15,000 worth of commercial law equipment.” said Sid Jordan.

Jordan says the same night his trailer was stolen, someone tried to pry open the front door of his house. A roommate scared him off. Then two nights later, someone threw a rock, breaking the passenger window of his pickup truck.

“I don’t know what that’s for. Probably had some kind of vendetta against me,” Jordan told Channel 2′s Tom Regan.

Police are seeing a surge in the theft of lawn maintenance equipment and work tools across the metro Atlanta area. The losses amount to millions of dollars. Often, the stolen equipment and tools are sold online, for a fast buck.

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A neighbor and specialty contractor who lives across the street from Sid’s house, says thieves pilfered his repair and renovation tools while he was asleep one night.

“I noticed my van window was smashed out, and my shed door where I keep my tools was wide open. They took about ten grand in materials and tools. Everything I need to do work.” said Gardner Beson.

Beson says some of the tools had sentimental and irreplaceable value.

“These were hand-me-downs from my father’s father, and my father-in-law’s father,” he said.

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He said the crime of tools and equipment hurt more than just an economic loss.

“Taking a man’s tools is taking away his ability to perform honest work. It’s another level deeper. It feels so personal.” said Beson.

Both professionals say they have installed more security systems to deter theft.

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