13 snow blower thefts already this month in Cedar Rapids

‘Tis the season for snow blower thefts.

Thirteen snow blowers have been stolen in Cedar Rapids this month, including four already this week, police said. That's way up from last winter, when four were taken in all of December 2010.

Eight of the recent thefts were reported in one neighborhood, north of 16th Avenue and west of Wiley Boulevard SW. Three more were taken near the northern city limits, north of Boyson Road and east of Council Street NE.

“It's sure disgusting,” said Bruce Karr, who had his snow blower taken Tuesday from 401 Hanover Rd. SW.

Karr, 74, said the thief also took a table saw and other tools after breaking into his garage. He realized his property was missing when his neighbor told him his snow blower had been stolen, too. The news scared his wife.

Karr, who is battling Parkinson's disease and other health problems, said it would probably cost between $700 and $1,000 to replace his 3-year-old machine.

“It had three speeds forward and two speeds backward,” Karr said. “It would throw snow clear up on your roof if you wanted it to.”

Five snow blowers were reported stolen in Cedar Rapids on Jan. 12, the same day 5 inches of the white stuff blanketed the city. It was the first significant snowfall of the winter.

That night, Michelle Robinson's snow blower started sputtering before she was done clearing her driveway. She put it in her garage, closed the garage door and decided to call it a night.

The next morning, her Toro machine was gone. And the garage door was wide open.

“The nerve of somebody, just to walk up the driveway,” said Robinson, of 6014 Westview Ave. SW. “My light was on, so it was pretty bold to come up the driveway, go in the garage and come back out.”

Robinson, 63, said her deductible is too high to get a replacement machine covered by insurance. She is holding out hope that her snow blower will be found among several others.

“It's a good time to sell them,” Robinson said. “We didn't have much need for them before now.”

Cedar Rapids police Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said snow blowers are stolen every year during the first couple weeks of significant snowfall, but this year is unusual. Investigators have not been able to connect the thefts, but due to the proximity of the reports, the theory exists.

Authorities said most of the thefts have been crimes of opportunity. No force was used in 11 of the 13 thefts, according to police reports. The crime spree also serves as another reminder to write down serial numbers for expensive products, Hamblin said.

Robinson and Karr said neighbors have helped them clear snow this year, and will probably help them Friday, when 8 inches is expected to fall in the area.

“It's been a good neighborhood,” Karr said. “I've lived here 23 years, and I've never had anything stolen.”

Not surprisingly, thefts of snow shovels have not spiked, police said.

SNOW BLOWER THEFTS IN CEDAR RAPIDS

(By address and date report was made)

227 Norwick Rd. SW, 1/3/12

1405 Fox Trail NE, 1/11/12

2205 C St. SW, 1/12/12

20 26th Ave. SW, 1/12/12

5200 Skyline Dr. NW, 1/12/12

6014 Westview Ave. SW, 1/12/12

7410 Pin Tail Dr. NE, 1/12/12

6709 Red Granite Ct. NE, 1/14/12

424 Stonehaven Ln. NE, 1/14/12

6816 Amhurst Dr. SW, 1/16/12

407 Hanover Rd. SW, 1/16/12

307 Westridge Dr. SW, 1/16/12

401 Hanover Rd. SW, 1/17/12