Flurry Of Snowblower Thefts Reported In Methuen
METHUEN (CBS) -- What's the one thing that could make this winter more miserable for Massachusetts homeowners? Someone stealing your snowblower.
Methuen police say that over the past few days, five snowblowers have been stolen from local residents. Three of the five thefts were reported Tuesday, according to police.
A total of seven snowblowers have been stolen since the snow began in January, officials said.
One of those victims is injured Methuen police officer Dan O'Connell who had his $1,300 snowblower stolen from his driveway on Monday night.
Officer O'Connell also had his beagle die on Sunday which has made him wonder if his snowblower was cursed.
"Over the summer I got my son a new bike and we chained the bike to the snowblower because I thought it was so heavy no one would steal the snowblower - then somebody came and cut the chain and stole his bike," O'Connell said.
He hopes the crook's conscious will kick in.
The thefts are not make or model-specific, and have been reported city-wide, police said. A gray or dark minivan has been spotted in the area or fleeing the scene in two of the incidents.
Police are looking at the thefts as "crime of opportunity" and say most have happened under the cover of darkness.
"If it's not blocked in, they can walk up to it and roll it right out," Methuen Police Sgt. Jaime Moore told WBZ NewsRadio 1030. "This is the last thing you want to deal with in this record-breaking snow."
Snowblower owners should take pictures and record serial numbers of their equipment just in case, police say.
"Keep your snowblowers locked up, chained up, and out of sight," Methuen police said on Facebook.
Anyone with information is asked to call police.