Reporter's notebook: Stolen inventory

Reuniting a stolen vehicle with its owner is one thing. Stolen tools found inside those recovered vehicles present a different challenge for police.

Clovis police recently announced they had “a garage half full of tools” recovered this year from stolen vehicles — tools that did not belong to the vehicles’ owners.

“I would say I’ve probably had at least 20 people contact me so far (about the tools); however none of this property has been returned,” Clovis Police Lt. Trevor Thron told The News on Friday.

“The stuff we recovered, it’s pretty identifiable, but they’re very specific tools,” Thron explained, “not personal tools that normal everyday people would keep.”

He’s not talking about hammers and screwdrivers, but instead things like scaffolding and industrial nail guns.

“We recovered two large carpet stretchers,” Thron continued. “Definitely something that is from a work site ...”

The sudden pile of tool inventory emerges from a recent “rash of vehicle thefts in Clovis,” which investigators are still addressing, Thron said. Unfortunately, per state law, property recovered by police that cannot be linked to an owner has to be destroyed within 90 days, and that deadline is approaching.

If you’re missing some heavy tools, then, CPD encourages you to contact its Special Operations Unit at 575-763-9481.

— Compiled by staff writer David Grieder