Athens-Clarke Police Warns of Outdoor Tool Thefts

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is warning people to keep an eye on their lawn equipment.

There has been an increase in thefts of mowers, edgers, clippers and other lawn equipment this spring, especially of those items left unattended or stored in open garages and sheds.

“Thieves also target lawn care companies since a lot of this equipment is transported on trailers,” the police department said in a media release. “Sometimes, trailers loaded with the equipment are also stolen.”

Here are some tips to help prevent and report such thefts:

• Lock up/keep an eye on your equipment.
• Record the make, model and serial numbers of your equipment.
• Record VIN numbers on vehicles and tag numbers on trailers.
• Park trailer with lawn equipment out of sight from the area, and secure it when not in use.
• Report suspicious people or vehicles in the neighborhood or work site by calling 911, and try to remember as much information as you can, such as suspect/vehicle description and direction a vehicle is travelling.

“Help your Police Department keep our community safe by being eyes and ears in your neighborhood,” the media release stated. “As Chief Joseph H. Lumpkin, Sr., likes to say, ‘If you see something, say something.’”