WOODSTOCK – The Oxford County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft of an earth compactor that was parked at a construction site on Route 26.
Deputy Justin Brown said the yellow machine, weighing 2,000 pounds, was taken after 6:30 p.m. Wednesday after all the workers left.
Because the hand-operated machine is so heavy and bulky – 3 feet high, 3 feet long, and 2 feet wide – Brown said it was likely picked up with a cherry picker and placed on a trailer or truck bed.
“It’s a bit industrial for anyone to use in their backyard. It’s designed for parking lots and roads,” Brown said. The machine compacts and smooths dirt to prepare the ground for paving.
The $4,000 compactor belongs to T-Buck Construction of Auburn, which is improving and widening that portion of the road, Brown said. The site lies just north of the intersection with Route 232 on Merryfield Hill.
“Due to the fact that it is Route 26, which is a heavily traveled road, and the machinery is so large, someone may have seen something,” Brown said.
Anyone with information is asked to phone the Sheriff’s Office at (800) 733-1421 and leave a tip or speak with a dispatcher.
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