Unauthorized Demo Derby Leaves Two Pickup Trucks Total Trash

Local residents are reminded to lock their vehicles and remove the keys when a 2002 Cheve pickup truck belonging to Zeb Webber was taken from in front of his residence on Pine Street in Blue Hill Monday evening. Webber's truck was located Tuesday morning in a ditch south and west of Blue Hill. It had been part of a private "demolition derby" in fields belonging to Dan VanBoening. Crops in the area were also destroyed. Another pickup truck belonging to John Coats of Hastings was also located in the same ditch. Both trucks sustained considerable damage and had to be towed from the scene. Coats said his truck was smashed on all four sides. He believes that his truck was taken between 2 and 5 am. Webber said he considered his truck a total loss as he looked over the damage after the truck was towed to R P's body shop. The truck taken from Hastings had been attatched to trailer which was disconnected and abandoned before reaching Webster Co. There have been 13 thefts in the last ten days. The thieves are still out there, so residents need to careful about leaving keys in any motor vehicle. http://new.khastv.com/videoplaylist.php?playid=21502 Monday nights incident comes after several other recent episodes of destruction of personal property and vehicles around the area. A semi belongng to Mike Karr was taken and damaged. A combine and tractor with grain cart that had been left in a wheat field by area farmer Dan Hubl were the target of vandals. A pickup truck belonging to CPI was also driven off a bank and damaged. Damage estimates for these resent crimes is in the tens of thousands of dollars. Area residents are urged to take all precautions available to protect their property as law enforcement personel attempt to apprehended those responsible for these sense less and costly crimes.