ATHENS — Robbers struck the Athens Public Works enclosure and Limestone County Schools’ bus garage early Friday early morning, stealing vans, mowers, catalytic converters and much more.
The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office environment explained online video surveillance exhibits they hit the bus garage on Elm Road and then went up coming door to Community Is effective. The objects stolen are valued at $100,000.
Lt. Jonathan Caldwell explained they think at the very least two suspects are associated in the incident even while surveillance online video, which experienced a time stamp of 2 a.m., clearly shows only a person of the suspects.
“We think there ended up at minimum two due to the fact they had to travel the two automobiles,” Caldwell said.
Friday afternoon, Caldwell stated his investigators were next a guide and experienced designed suspects in the situation.
The Sheriff’s Office mentioned metropolis personnel identified when they arrived for perform that a 2012 Dodge Ram 1500, a 2011 Dodge Ram 3500, a 16-foot double-axle Lone Wolf trailer and two Toro zero-turn mowers were being missing from General public Is effective.
Movie surveillance displays the offenders entered the gated region by reducing a hole in the fence.
Mayor Ronnie Marks claimed his employees remaining the keys in the truck “because they had been within locked gates.” He explained he thinks the thefts ended up an inside career or the two regions have been scouted for some time.
The two offenders experienced formerly entered the gated facility at the university bus garage by utilizing the similar system of slicing a hole in the fence. They then cut two catalytic converters off of a county automobile.
The Sheriff’s Place of work reported the robbers disabled the most important gate at Community Will work following taking the property and left eastbound on Elm Road.
Marks mentioned the town has insurance policies to include the thefts. The garden mowers ended up ordered in the very last two months, he mentioned.
“We’re filing all the things with the insurance policies,” Marks reported. “Unfortunately, we really need the mowers proper now (for mowing season). If we have to, we’ll borrow or lease a few of mowers.”
Anyone with data should really get hold of Detective Jarrod Smith at 256-233-8700.
Catalytic converters, which contain the important metals platinum, rhodium and palladium, are a well-liked focus on for burglars. According to the Countrywide Insurance Crime Bureau, most catalytic converters are bought at scrap yards for in between $50 and $250. It reported the pandemic slowed down the mining of the rare metals, driving up demand from customers for the converters.
Previous thirty day period, intruders lower by a fence and took catalytic converters from 3 maintenance automobiles at the Decatur Metropolis Universities maintenance shop. In Lauderdale County very last thirty day period, a catalytic converter was stolen from a church van.
