It was a roller coaster of a day for a Guthrie lawn and tree business after they realized several thousands of dollars had disappeared from their drive-way, but thanks to social media the day ended on a positive message.
Kathy Hayes left for Oklahoma City at 6:45 a.m. and Cody Hayes left to take his son to football practice at 7:15 a.m. An employee arrived to work at 7:25 a.m. and noticed the company’s black dump trailer and two zero-turn mowers were missing.
It took thieves just 10 minutes to escape with over $30,000 worth of equipment.
The Hayes’ quickly called the police to file a report and at the same time put a photo of the trailer on Facebook. The message had been shared over 500 times, but as the hours went by the fear of losing the equipment forever was becoming a reality.
Until.
Gregg Gumerson and Kelly Hopfer was two of many who shared the social media post to their timeline. Bud Owen, Facebook friends of Gumerson and Hopfer, saw the photo and became suspicious after he realized earlier in the morning a trailer matching the description was parked just across the street from his Oklahoma City home.
At around noon, Owen walked over and noticed two mowers in the trailer and the smell of spray paint.
Turns out the thieves spray painted the Hayes’ logo and phone number on the back of the trailer with black paint. However, looking close, the logo and number were still noticeable. Owen quickly called the police and the Hayes’.
“The drive to OKC was probably the most scared I’ve ever been,” Kathy Hayes said. “To be so close to having it, but not sure if it was there or would be by the time we got there.”
Hayes was on the phone with the insurance company when the news came in.
“We are so blessed and lucky.”
No arrests have been made in the case, but the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, who made the trip to Oklahoma City, are working with leads that will hopefully lead them to the suspect(s).
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