Thieves steal equipment worth $28,000 from Athens business

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Police say thieves stole a pair of trucks and landscaping equipment worth a combined total of more than $28,000 from an Athens business.

The Athens Banner-Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1K5xnYB ) the theft at LO Automotive occurred over the weekend. A 2006 GMC box truck and a 1994 Chevrolet pickup were both stolen, along with riding lawn mowers and other expensive landscaping tools.

Athens-Clark County police recovered the GMC truck Sunday after it was used to smash into a grocery store in nearby Madison County. Sheriff's Lt. Jimmy Patton said it appears the thieves tried to use the truck to break into the store, but they fled after an alarm was triggered.

The second stolen truck and the landscaping equipment are still missing.

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Information from: Athens Banner-Herald, http://www.onlineathens.com