One Waco business is operating a little differently after thieves made off with more than $2000 worth of tools.
Victor Hallock, owner of Waco's Tree and Shrub Sculptors, said somebody took landscaping tools off of his truck as it was parked outside of a restaurant.
"I trim trees, I remove trees, I trim shrubs, and I consider it like an art." Hallock considers the trees and shrubs he sculpts to be the masterpieces. "I definitely need my chainsaw, and my pole saw is really handy for me."
No artist is complete without his tools, but some of them - like the pole saw - went missing Monday afternoon. "That was one of the things that was stolen. I've been doing work the old-fashioned way with a handheld pole saw temporarily until I can gain back the money to get some equipment."
According to the report filed with Waco Police Department, Hallock ate at Casa Ole, parking his car in the parking lot of the retailer Dirt Cheap. He was in the restaurant roughly an hour. "I was shocked. I realized it right away because the cage of my trailer was open and my blower was halfway out. Apparently, they ran out of time to get everything else."
Thieves ground through the metal lock on the flatbed truck, taking off with two chainsaws, a pole saw, and a hedge trimmer.
"This is somebody's livelihood. This is a man's business that he was using to feed his family. They are now behind because somebody wanted to steal his stuff." Waco Police Sergeant Patrick Swanton said crimes like these are typically committed out of opportunity.
"There's nothing that can be 100% safe in those kinds of instances. Try to leave somebody with it or try to leave it in eyeshot if you can, to see if somebody starts messing with it." Swanton said.
Hallock said he hopes that the thieves come forward and his tools are returned. In the meantime, he is back to work, trying to save up to replace the stolen tools. "In the future, I'm going to have two locks on my trailer to avoid this from happening again," Hallock said.
Waco Police are currently conducting an investigation on the theft.
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