Law enforcement in Irwin County is on the lookout for a large green forklift that was stolen from Anthony Taylor over the weekend.
Taylor tells WALB that witness say the military surplus machine was loaded onto a rollback, flatbed type truck, with an off-white cab.
He thinks it's still in Irwin or Turner County.
This forklift seen on the right is similar to the one that was stolen. The one that was taken did not have a right rear tire on it. Anthony Taylor said his uncle called him after his aunt saw briefly saw the rollback truck that took it.
"She looked out and she thought she saw somebody moving it," said Taylor. "Before she could get out there, they were gone. She called him, he called me to see if I had come and gotten it. I said no. So, they called the Sheriff."
The Sheriff's office is working with surrounding counties to find the forklift. So far, they have no leads.
"The resident that lived there said she saw a white or gray rollback truck leave the premises," said Investigator Stephen Rogers with the Irwin Sheriff's office. "We are still under investigation on the case."
But, Taylor did a little investigation himself. He says the forklift is even more important to him because it belonged to his late father.
"So, I took off over there and a guy told me he saw three men around it that afternoon," said Taylor. "He gave me the description of them. It was the same men, pretty close to what my aunt saw."
Investigators say when heavy equipment is stolen it is not easy to find.
"It is hard to find sometimes because they will take them into another county or take them into North Georgia or in another state," said Rogers.
These are the tire tracks to the rollback that picked up the forklift. Taylor says he thinks the machine is work at least $5,000.
Taylor says he heard from another witness that three men walking around it Friday afternoon.
He thinks the same men were seen loading it on rollback Saturday.
The vehicle is believed to have some insignia or logo on the side.
If you have any information that might be helpful to law enforcement, please contact the Irwin County Sheriff's Office.
Copyright 2012 WALB. All rights reserved.
