Waterloo Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ted Kavich said he hopes the specialized nature of the equipment stolen from the station Friday will help Lauderdale County sheriff’s investigators locate the items.
Kavich also said he hopes the sheriff’s department finds the culprits before firefighters do.

“I’d hate for these people to know they have 50-60 firefighters looking for them,” Kavich said.

Kavich said someone kicked in the door to the Station Three on Lauderdale 1 Friday night and stole bolt cutters, sledge hammers, cans of gasoline and a “hooligan tool,” also known as a Halligan bar, which is used to open “most any type of door.

“What they took was stuff to get into anybody’s door,” Kavich said.
He estimated the value of the items taken at about $1,000.

“We had to buy another door and put a door jamb in,” Kavich said.
Kavich said it is the second time thieves have broken into one of the department’s three stations.

About three months ago someone broke into Station One and stole about $2,000 worth of equipment, including a large rolling battery charger, a cutting torch, a chain saw and several portable radios.

“These are critical items on any type of scene,” Kavich said. “All this stuff is bought with fire fees or ad valorem taxes that everybody has paid. We’re a little bit upset to say the least.”

The Fire Department is insured and the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department has been notified of the most recent theft, Kavich said.

“If these items show up we’ll know in a hurry where they came from,” Kavich said. “They’re stealing stuff we use in emergency situations.”

Anyone with information about the burglaries is encouraged to call
the sheriff’s department at 256-760-5757 or Shoals Crimestoppers at
256-386-8565.

Russ Corey can be reached at 256-740-5738 or russ.corey@TimesDaily.com.