WHITE CO., Ill. - White County Sheriff's Department officials were called to a location yesterday of damaged road work equipment on the Burnt Prairie Blacktop.
Sheriff Doug Maier said that Sgt. Craig Poole responded to a request for a law enforcement officer along the Burnt Prairie Blacktop about a mile west of the village of Burnt Prairie at about 9:17 a.m. yesterday, Wednesday, June 6.
Poole was advised that the evening before, a work crew had left the location (at about 5 p.m.) and upon returning on the morning of the 6th at about 8 a.m., the crew had discovered damage to a Bobcat E32 mini-hoe. Workers reported that the Bobcat had a hydraulic cylinder stolen off it. This was the cylinder that went to the front part of the arm scoop that extends. A small pry bar was located by workers at the site; they advised that this didn't belong to any of them.
Poole took the pry bar along with two small pins as evidence, and these will be checked for fingerprints.
The Bobcat, it's reported, is owned by CH Enterprises of Mason, Illinois. The company was going to have Bobcat come inspect the piece of equipment to check for any further damage.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the White County Sheriff's Department at 618-382-5321.