NEW VINEYARD – County deputies suspect that more than one person was involved in a theft of about $10,000 worth of items from Acme Engineering & Design Inc. on Ramsdell Road either Tuesday night or early Wednesday.

People came to work Wednesday and started noticing items missing, Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Ken Charles said.

“There were no signs of forced entry,” he said.

One of the big-ticket items taken was a Topcom surveying station valued at about $7,000, Charles said.

A metal detector, a Stihl chain saw, a cordless phone and Motorola walkie talkies were among other items stolen, he said.

Deputy David Rackliffe and tracking dog Odin found some tracks in the snow and deputies have collected some DNA samples, fingerprints and other evidence.

Apparently, a person carrying a heavy item fell in the snow and left a hand print and a foot print, Charles said.

Rackliffe took a sterile piece of gauze and put it in both prints to let it soak up the scent for future use, Charles said.

“We’ll use that scent-holding item to identify suspects,” he said.

The dog will be able to smell that item and find the person that the scent belongs to, he added.

Deputies were interviewing people in the area and some reported some unusual happenings Tuesday night around 10 p.m, Charles said.

“We are developing a few leads,” he said.

Anyone who may have information about the case or saw anything unusual Tuesday night or early Wednesday is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department at 778-2680.