Thanks guys!
Here's what took place. The truck dissapeared last thursday night. I was working out of town & got back friday in time to secure the fiberglass pool I have tilted up on display with my crane (hurricane Hanna was forcasted to bring 60 mph winds). As I climbed down from the crane, I noticed the truck, trailer, and backhoe were missing. I reported the theft. I really thought the stuff was in Mexico, or in a shipping container in Charleston or Miami.
Monday morning I got a call from this guy in Georgia, he said he could tell me where my truck and trailer were, but I'd have to promise not to disclose who told me. SURE!!
He told me where (exactly) they were hidden in the woods in Gadson SC. He went on to explain that the guy who was hiding them was his brother. The guy hadn't stolen them but had hidden them so it seems for who ever did the theft. The brother (that called) is a small business owner in Ga and knew his brother couldn't afford the equipment. He said his brother is a crack head, is 52, lives with his 82 year old mother as a mooch, is disabled with a bad back
& walks with a cane but has a history of illegal dealings. He called him the black sheep of the family & was truly embarrassed by him.
His only request other than I not identify him was that I get the police involved to ensure that the guy would be arrested. He was on his way back to Ga from Va saturday & stopped by to see his mother, said he had a feeling something was wrong & assumed it was with her. He saw the truck in the woods, got my toll free # off the windshield and called me monday morning.
I took off to Gadson (45 miles) & called ahead to have deputy meet me.
Funny thing, I put a pool in for the deputy's parents when she was 8 years old and she remembered me.
Anyway, she processed the truck for prints, and took DNA off the steering wheel! When a neighbor told me (I went door knocking) that they had seen the backhoe go down the road and turn right at the end, she called in a helicopter and he began increasing radius circles from where we were. I think the guy in the house was freaking out by now & called whoever had the backhoe. The guy with the backhoe took it to some woods and tried to drive it far enough into the woods to hide it. Its a 2wd and got hung up on the trees he was running over. The pilot saw the thing in the woods & hovered over it. The guy took off on foot. The pilot called the deputy & told her the guy was running. They tried to catch him but he got away.
Now for what I know your wondering; the deputy wouldn't let me near the house where the ******* lives. She told me to let her do her job ( and she did a good one) & if that didn't put the guy in jail, "then you can drop by for a visit"!!!!
They got a lot of prints off the tractor and the truck. I hope they catch the people that stole it from my business. I would truly rather they put them away than let me find out who they are first. I would - - - - - - 'nuff said.
The truck will be fixed. the trailer rewired, and the backhoe is fine.
So far, no one died.
We'll see how that holds out.
Thanks to everyone,
Chuck