ARogue Valley logging business is out nearly $5,000 after someone robbed their work site in the middle of the night.
On Friday, logging crews from Estremado Logging Inc. were hard at work on a mountain side just north of Merlin.
Adifferent story than the day before.
“We realized all of our support equipment was stolen, all thetools we need to get the daily operation done,” said owner Dan Estremado.
Estremado estimates roughly $5,000 of property was stolen.
He immediately called the authorities, but was told there is nothing they can do.
“They said they are so short funded, they can’t send anyone out to help us,” Estremado explained.
Areality that many residents in Josephine County are facing following budget cuts in 2012.
The sheriff’s department now only operates with 3 active deputies andaren’t able to respond toall calls, including reports of property theft.
But the deputy that Estremado spoke with over the phone said, that if he conducted the investigation himselfand finds out who did it, then the department would get involved.
An answer Estremado isn’t too thrilled about.
“We need to work, not hunt criminals, that’s what we do.”
Employees say the loss of the equipment was also difficult for them.
“Ilost my wages because we couldn’t work, and we had to go buy new supplies so we could continue today,” said Estremado employee Jaime Fernandez.
Estremado says as far as the newequiptment goes, he doesn’t think anything will be stolen again.
“We have a watchman posted right on the machines now.”
Estremado estimates the company lost roughly $10,000 when you combine the loss of the equipment and yesterday’s potential profit.
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