The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft of $25,300 worth of tools from three Ameren UE trucks parked at the company’s facility at 6450 Hwy. MM in House Springs. The theft occurred between about 11 p.m. Sept. 19 and 6:30 a.m. Sept. 21, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
It looked like a hole was cut in a fence around where the trucks were parked near the south side of the facility, and then tools were stolen from toolboxes inside the trucks. The trucks had been locked, but there was no sign of forced entry, the report said.
The toolboxes had padlocks on them, but the report does not indicate how the locks were removed. Items stolen from the trucks included climbing tools; a chain hoist; a Milwaukee battery charger and eight batteries; a Makita charger and four batteries; a Milwaukee press; a Utilco ACSR cutter; a Milwaukee guy cutter; a 14-inch Stihl chainsaw; an Underground bag with various tools; a 14-inch Stihl concrete saw; two hardhat lights; a Milwaukee flood light and a Milwaukee Sawzall, according to the report.
Two tools bags were found in a wooded area behind the facility, and tools worth $5,300 were recovered. However, as of Sept. 29, none of the other stolen tools had been recovered, and no suspects had been identified, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Grant Bissell said.
Anyone with information about the incident should call the Sheriff’s Office at 636-797-5515.