IRMO, S.C. — This week has been digging at service company owners Parker Smith and Jason Price.
Both of whom had construction equipment stolen around 4:30 in the morning in Irmo and Saluda county.
"He showed up and our skid steer had been stolen from this job site," said Parker Smith, Big South Site Services owner. "When he showed up the next, the machine that was left, the door was unlocked on it so they had gone inside the other machine that was here as well, but they weren't able to get that machine."
These owners say not only has it been a huge inconvenience and financial burden, but they now have to find new equipment in the middle of a supply chain shortage.
"It's a process I've got to go through to find the replacement piece of equipment and bill the insurance company to get it straightened out. I still don't have my replacement piece yet. It should be here maybe today or tomorrow," Jason Price, Price Enterprises owner said.
A company based in Newberry county working a job in Spartanburg county also reported two excavators missing two to three weeks ago, one of which has since been recovered by the sheriff's department.
"I've heard of I believe four or five cases where a machine's been stolen just in the past five days, so it's getting' pretty bad," Smith said.
Law enforcement said thieves are targeting companies like these.
"A lot of these construction sites are high value targets. There's obviously property that's worth a lot of money. These thieves know that overnight into the early morning hours that there's not going to be anybody on site," said John Hendrix, Irmo assistant police chief.
Hendrix said local law enforcement agencies can share notes and information if they see a pattern like this they need to investigate.
Authorities said the best way to lower this risk is by securing the job site, making sure there's surveillance cameras at the site, removing keys from the machines and strategically parking the equipment overnight.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of this equipment, you're encouraged to call Saluda county sheriff's office or Irmo police.
Saluda: (864) 445-2112
Irmo: (803) 781-8088