FRANK LEWIS

PDT Staff Writer

A Scioto County law enforcement officer says people need to know when they buy things like power tools from individuals, they will have to give them up if it turns out that they were stolen.

“We’re going to seize the property and give it back to the owner,” Captain David Hall of the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office said. “They could be out the money they paid for the tools. The only way they could possibly get their money back is they can ask the court to make the suspect re-pay the money.”

Hall was responding to a recent report of a rash of tool thefts. A house on Swauger Valley Road in Portsmouth was hit for a portable welder, valued at $350; a red 35 gallon air compressor, valued at $200; a black 200-amp large charger with wheels, valued at $150; a black power washer, valued at $250; a red 5,500-watt generator with wheels, valued at $550; an orange electric drill, valued at $50. a gray circular saw, valued at $75; an orange 16-inch bar chain saw, valued at $200; a orange weed eater, valued at $150 and a red five gallon gas container containing gas, valued at $25. In addition, thieves took a fishing rod and reels, valued at $300 and a tackle box with tackle, valued at $350.

A house on Bloom Street in Portsmouth was the site of the theft of assorted Campbell Hausfeld air tools, valued at $350; assorted Ingersol Rand air tools, valued at $198; a Black & Decker 5500 series generator, valued at $750 and a Skil jig saw, valued at $109.

In the last few months, guns were the target of thieves in a series of break-ins, and like guns, many of the tools are either traded for drugs or sold to individuals to get money for drugs. Hall warned that when they solve crimes, they usually find out where the stolen merchandise was sold, and retrieve that merchandise for the rightful owner, leaving the one who bought the item with having paid for something they could not keep.

Frank Lewis may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 232, or at flewis@heartlandpublications.com.