WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)—Investigators in Clay and Wichita counties are trying to find those responsible for the thefts of around $300,000 worth of heavy equipment over the past few weeks. Precinct Four Wichita County Commissioner, Jeff Watts said a one-ton service truck along with a trailer and backhoe were all stolen from his facility with a value of roughly 100-thousand dollars, and for Clay County, it’s even worse.
Commissioner Jeff Watts said it’s unknown what day the break-in happened but says thieves cut his industrial fence in the back of the property in Electra and were able to get the equipment out unnoticed.
“They left with a service truck and trailer across country then followed by the backhoe and at some point apparently tried to get the backhoe on the trailer,” Watts said.
Although their equipment is gone, Watts said there has been some good to come of this situation.
“We’ve always had an alarm system it’s just been years and years since we’ve upgraded to what’s available to us, so we are in the process of and been working with John Jones there in Electra to track our equipment so much better and were close to that process we didn’t have fully engaged,” Watts said.
And over in Clay County, Judge Mike Campbell said the value of their equipment stolen from two different precinct buildings is almost double the value of Wichita County’s loss.
“Precinct Two mostly small tools a compressor a generator some fuel that sort of thing, they took some equipment for example they had a dolly that they took from Precinct Two, and it ended up at Precinct Three that’s why we think it’s the same people because the dolley was missing from two and showed up at three,” Campbell said.
Campbell said at Precinct Three, thieves were able to steal a dump truck along with a trailer that was hauling a backhoe.
He said no arrests have been made, but they do have a few leads.
If you have any information about these break-ins, call Crime Stoppers at (940) 322-9888. You never have to give your name, and if your information leads to an arrest and board approval, you could earn a cash reward.