State Police Investigating Rash Of Lawn Tractor Thefts
ADDISON (KDKA) - State Police are looking into a rash of lawn tractor thefts in several local counties.
According to police, someone stole two Husqvarna tractors from the Addison Farm Equipment store in Addison, Somerset County. The tractors were valued at roughly $4,000 total.
Investigators are trying to figure out if the thefts are related to other tractor thefts in Fayette and Westmoreland Counties.
Someone stole several John Deere tractors from locations in Uniontown and Greensburg.
"Unfortunately, we've had an influx, and it's not just our county, it's the surrounding area, of criminals that are going to these high-end farm equipment places and just up and taking their tractors," said Trooper Steve Limani, of Pennsylvania State Police in Greensburg.
State police say, so far, two farm equipment dealers in Westmoreland County, one in Fayette County and one in Somerset County have seen tractors disappear.
"Some of these pieces of equipment are as big as a trailer," said Trooper Limani.
"If it's all connected, we're going to be creeping toward the hundreds of thousands of dollars before it's all over," he added.
But why farm equipment? The trend across the country, according to law enforcement, is the big-ticket tractors are stolen and the money is then used to finance illegal drug operations.
"It's absolutely amazing that someone would risk or even think of trying to steal a farm tractor for someone to fuel their drug habit, but that's exactly what we got going on," Trooper Limani said.
Anyone with information about the stolen tractors is asked to call Fayette County Crime Stoppers at 1-888-404-TIPS.
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