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Trailer full of tools stolen; Virginia Beach business owner asks community for help

Posted at 2:18 PM, Aug 31, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-31 17:08:40-04

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va - A Virginia Beach business is asking the community to help find a thief.

Mike Melatti of Sears Garage Solutions of Hampton Roads says a trailer full of tools was stolen from a job site last week. The trailer was parked at the business near the intersection of Diamond Springs Road and Bayside Road. Last Friday, crews locked up the trailer with plans to return the next week. However, when they came back, the trailer and everything inside was gone.

Stolen trailer

According to an incident report filed with Virginia Beach Police, the tools alone were valued at more than $15,000.

The losses don't end there. According to Melatti, the tools inside the trailer are the only ones the company has for flooring projects. Without the tools, they have had to cancel scheduled jobs, putting some employees out of work.

"You’re taking the food off of our table," said Melatti. "We can’t do our floors; we’re going to have to put it on hold; we have to give back the deposits that were made."

Melatti says the trailer is large and covered in advertisements for the company. He says it's the only trailer in Hampton Roads like it.

"It's coated with floor coating, so even if they took all the stickers off or tried to cover it up, the arms that connect to the truck are coated with gray-chipped floor coating," explained Melatti.

Workers are hoping that someone will notice the trailer and call them or police. Melatti says he can be contacted at 757-721-2524. Those with information can also call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.

A $2,000 reward has been raised by Melatti and another local company for anyone who can provide police with information that leads to the arrest of the person or people responsible.