Police are warning Riverside lawn maintenance companies of recent equipment thefts reported in the western suburb.

About 10:30 a.m. July 3, a man stole equipment from a truck while landscaping crews were working in the backyard of a home in the 300 block of Lawton Road, Riverside police said. The man then jumped into a red van and drove off south on Harlem.

They got away with $300 worth of property, police said. The suspect is described as a tall, thin man in his early twenties with short hair.

A second incident happened about 9:26 a.m. June 14 in the 100 block of Longcommon Road, police said. A chainsaw and two bush trimmers were taken from a truck parked in front of a home while crews were working in the back.

The retail value of the stolen equipment is $850, police said. The two male suspects drove off west on Addison Road in a red Pontiac Grand Prix.

“I believe this is a regional concern,” Police Chief Tom Weitzel said. “All lawn maintenance companies need to make sure their equipment is secured and if possible, you park your trucks where you can see them.”

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