SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The owner of a heating and cooling company in Ozark has started to pick up the pieces after losing his equipment.
Owner of Callahan Heating and Cooling, Brett Callahan, said someone broke into his service truck in Ozark and stole his tools.
“It’s extremely frustrating,” Callahan said.
Starting his own business is an accomplishment he just recently achieved. He said it has taken him eight years to stockpile equipment.
“It’s going to take me eight more to get the amount of tools I had in that box back in there,” said Callahan.
Officials with the Ozark Police Department said thieves have been recently targeting work vehicles that probably have tools inside. Police aren’t sure if the crimes are all connected to the same person. However, it’s something that the department is investigating.
It’s happening, officials said, to both unlocked and locked vehicles.
“People started flooding me with phone calls saying it happened to us, too,” said Callahan. “A technician I used to work with at a previous company, he got $3,000 worth of tools stolen the same night.”
Callahan said for him it’s probably around a $5,000 loss, not to mention the numerous appointments he’s had to cancel since the incident.
“At the end of the day, insurance isn’t going to pay for most of this stuff,” said Callahan.
He spent Friday morning picking out $3,000 worth of new equipment.
“That will be just enough to get me back on the road,” said Callahan.
Anyone with information is asked to call Ozark Police.