Family business robbed of $20K worth of tools

Pair of thieves broke into trailer, took everything inside

BROWNSTOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A family business was targeted by thieves who took off with almost everything inside.

The thieves were at the business for about 35 minutes. It's not an easy trailer to break into. They cut open the top of the latch and got through a door that was bolted shut to a piece of wood on the inside. Then they had to get over a huge toolbox.

But once they were inside, they stole everything in the trailer.

Chuck Lafferty watched his security video in disbelief as the pair of thieves pried open the side door of his trailer.

One man shimmied through a narrow opening and started handing his partner tools. The pair loaded up the stolen tools into their truck and took off. About $20,000 worth of cordless tools were taken.

All the tools to renovate a home were inside the trailer. It's a business Lafferty started eight years ago out of his own garage.

Lafferty said the thieves broke into his friend's truck and used the tools in they found in the truck to break into his trailer. He does have insurance, but he said he has to postpone a new job he would've started Monday.

One of the thieves has a giant three-leaf clover tattooed to the back of his head.

Lafferty filed a police report. In the last few weeks, there have been three break-ins in his plaza.

He said last week he saw some people who looked like they were scoping out the place. He scheduled an appointment with a security company to install more cameras.