| Most Americans believe that having a yard and keeping it well kept are important, but for many New Jersey residents, their lawn maintenance efforts have been put on hold. A string of lawn equipment thefts have taken place in Cumberland County this year.
Over 300 cases of lawn equipment theft has been reported in the city of Vineland, alone, resulting in serious losses. Victim Diane Velez experiences a loss of over $3,000 in equipment. A compressor, power-washer, and leaf blower were stolen from her locked garage at her home outside of Vineland. During the night, the burglar managed to force entry by breaking the lock. These thefts are not all recent, according to area police. There has been a recent trend in lawn equipment thefts across the country, but Vineland’s issues have reached epidemic proportions. Thieves have been known to partly remove the equipment and stash it for pickup at a later time, reducing the suspicion caused by large vehicles coming to private properties and taking the equipment. Police are currently searching for the middlemen of the operation — the thieves themselves — in order to conduct a larger investigation that pinpoints the leader in the landscaping scheme. All South Jersey residents who witness any suspicious activity or have information regarding the thefts are advised to contact authorities immediately using one of the following methods:
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