Harper Woods police: Lawn care equipment thefts on the rise, lock up

The Harper Woods Department of Public Safety put out an advisory Tuesday warning residents of a rise in thefts from landscaping and lawn service vehicles.

Corey Avery owns Avery Landscaping LLC in metro Detroit. He services Harper Woods and attended Harper Woods High School. He has never had his equipment stolen and hopes that continues to be the case.

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“That’s literally my worst nightmare. I try not to take my eyes off of my equipment until it’s locked up for the night and even during the day," Avery said. “I have a child that I take care of. I have a home that I own and take care of. It would be devastating to lose my investment.”

Avery works on landscaping jobs with his cousin DeAndre Booker, who owns Big League Landscaping. Booker has been landscaping for 10 years and unfortunately had his equipment stolen three years ago out of state. It put him out of work for days.

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“I woke up to an 8 x 10 cargo trailer being pulled away from my old shop where I used to run my landscaping business out of," he said. “You’re not just battling the heat and the work. Unfortunately, there’s people in our community who will take from you.”

This type of equipment runs thousands of dollars, so the duo isn't surprised by the rise in thefts. They now take extra precautions to make sure their equipment is never left unattended.

The Harper Woods Department of Public Safety recommends the community works together to advise lawn care servicers that may be working near or at your home to lock their vehicles and store the keys in a safe place. They urge landscapers to not leave lawn equipment unsecured on trailers or in the backs of trucks while parked on the street.

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“You just can't make it easy for them. If you make it too easy, they’ll take it as a gift for sure," Booker added.

You can report suspicious activity to the Harper Woods Police Department by dialing 911 or 313-343-2530.