Construction site ripoffs may be carried out by traveling gang

There are no suspects. Just ideas about who may have stolen $80,000 from trailers at a Topsy Lane construction site April 22.

A cash reward up to $2,500 is available for any information leading to an arrest or conviction in the burglaries.

Douglas County Sheriff's Office Lt. Mike Biaggini said a gang of professionals may be responsible.

According to sheriff's reports, between 3:30 p.m., April 22, and 6:30 a.m. April 23, construction equipment was stolen from Conex storage units and trailers at the Topsy Lane construction site near the Douglas County and Carson City line in Indian Hills.

Eight companies with trailers at the site were burglarized, including: a Hollister, Calif., business, the Robert Enz Construction Co.; Reno companies Electro Tech, RHP Mechanical, Tedesco Concrete, Martin Ironworks and RDA Drywall; Carson City company Northeast Masonry; and Minden business United Electrical Services.

The Minden company had a blue G5500 Makita gas generator, valued at $500, stolen, according to the sheriff's report.

President Dennis Long said rumors abound about gangs burglarizing construction sites "all over" Reno and in Sacramento.

"It would take over an hour to do that much work, unless they had a lot of guys and had it planned and organized," he said. "They're probably traveling around in a semi."

Long said company trailers at the work site are visible from the road that goes to Wal-Mart. He said the entire site is fenced and even during the day, only one entrance is open.

"If you were on that street going to Wal-Mart, you would easily see all the trailers inside the fence," he said. "(Whomever did this) is pretty brave."

Reno business, Tedesco Concrete, lost a MT74HS Mikasa Whacker, serial number E2761, valued at $2,400; an Emglo Air Compressor, valued at $300; an LL600 laser with legs and eye spector, model HR500-17200, serial number 1740, valued at $1,695 and other items.

Steve Ericksen, a Tedesco project manager who manages the business at the Topsy Lane site, said he had not heard anything about traveling gangs, but said he was not surprised by the break-in.

"It happens all the time in the construction business," he said. "It's part of our business. The only thing a lock does is keep an honest man out."

Locks were cut off the storage units and trailers and were left lying on the ground, according to the sheriff's report. It is not known how the locks were cut.

Because many of the contractors had touched the crime scene, deputies could not distinguish fresh tracks and prints, according to the report.

The sheriff's office has sent information to most of the Western states, informing offices of the stolen items.

Anyone with information about the burglary should call Secret Witness at (775) 78-CRIME.