$10,000 worth of rescue tools stolen from McCandless volunteer fire company
MCCANDLESS, Pa. (KDKA) — Rescue tools were stolen from Ingomar Volunteer Fire Company's substation in McCandless over the weekend.
A resident reached out to the assistant fire chief on Sunday night after they noticed a window on one of the fire station's doors was broken.
"I've been in the fire department for 47 years and never thought I'd have to deal with someone breaking into the station and stealing hydraulic rescue tools," Ingomar Volunteer Fire Department Station 187 Fire Chief Gregory Quatchak said.
Quatchak said the window of a side door was shattered and all the compartments in the company's aerial fire and rescue trucks were left open. He said rescue tools were stolen, including the jaws of life.
"Right away, he saw that compartment is completely empty, the tools are gone. So, the power unit, the jaws of life, and supporting wires," Quatchak said.
He said the hydraulic rescue tools, heavy-duty cutting saws, pry bars and other tools that were stolen are worth more than $10,000.
"The first question you had is, do you have security cameras? And we've never thought we needed security cameras. The fact that somebody would break into a fire station and steal equipment that we use to save lives is just kind of unbelievable," Quatchak said.
Quatchak said the company was notified by state police on Monday morning that the equipment was located after a pursuit in the Bedford County area. The fire department's tags were on some of the items.
The fire chief is thankful the equipment was found.
"State police is working with McCandless police to get that equipment returned to us. So, we will make sure it's working and functioning in order, and we'll be back in business. I was so angry when we discovered this last evening. I was like, I just can't believe this. And to find the equipment has been found, apparently, it's in good order, we'll verify that, we'll be back in business," Quatchak said.
He made sure fire stations in the area were alerted. A neighboring fire department offered to loan an extra set of tools.
No word on if anyone was arrested. KDKA-TV is working to learn more information from law enforcement.