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Alex Cabrero ReportingPolice have noticed an increase in thefts at Park City construction sites. There doesn't seem to be a real good reason, except for the fact that there are a lot of construction projects going on in Park City. Many contractors leave their tools and equipment on-site when the day is done, creating a crime of opportunity.
With 20 years of construction under his tool belt, Scotty Reynolds has seen it all, and he's seen it all go.
Scotty Reynolds, Reynolds Brothers Excavation: "A uni-loader, rollers, compactors, small jumping jacks."
For him, dealing with construction site theft is just part of the job, like bad weather.
Scotty Reynolds: "No matter where you go, something is going to come up missing."
Lately, it seems things at Park City construction sites are turning up missing. Building official Ron Ivie says contractors should be aware.
Ron Ivie, Park CIty Building Dept.: "It's certainly not a thing that anybody wants, and yet, if you leave the opportunity there, someone will take advantage of it."
And some have. Police are getting the calls.
Phil Kirk, Park City Police Dept.: "We actually made an arrest a couple months ago, and we've linked the individual and his brother to at least one construction site theft."
But still, Ivie says things are disappearing all the time.
Ron Ivie: "Some of them weren't taking care of their on-site conditions very well."
In fact, city officials started putting up notice signs at construction sites throughout the city, letting contractors know there has been a rise in construction site thefts, and that if contractors leave their equipment overnight, it should be locked up.
Scotty Reynolds: "You got hammers or lasers at $3,000 a piece. Next day you don't know what happened to them."
Reynolds just wants thieves to know, it's not just the tool or machine that ends up missing.
Scotty Reynolds: "They're taking our livelihood away from us. WE can't feed our families without a machine."
Of course, Park City isn't the only place in Utah with lots of growth. A lot of historically smaller towns are growing fast, and with that growth comes big city problems.
