Thieves take off with a local union’s trailer with a prized possession inside, in Wichita on Sunday.
That item is worth thousands of dollars.
“There’s been a lot of hard work and personal effort put into this particular project and now it’s gone,” said Jeff Townsend, business manager for Sheet Metal Workers Local 29.
Townsend and the union took a big hit Sunday around 5 p.m., when a black SUV pulled up to their shop on K-42 near Harry Street and swiped their trailer.
“It’s disheartening and it’s like a Merry Christmas,” he said.
But, it’s not the trailer that Townsend says will be missed the most. It was the sentimental item inside it that can’t be replaced.
“The smoker has a history with all these members of being at different events,” he said. “We’ve had it- we built it over eight years ago.”
The smoker, that was custom built by apprentices, is used by members at events, often helping local charities raise money.
So far, Townsend says there are no leads on the black SUV. But, he does have a message for the trailer crooks.
“I’d love if they would just dump the smoker off somewhere and give us a call, it would be wonderful,” he said. “It would be my Christmas wish.”
He even went so far as to offer those who took the trailer, an opportunity. He said he would give them an apprenticeship at the union.
“I don’t expect them to come in and announce we’re the guys who stole your trailer but the offer stands for them,” said Townsend.
He isn’t sure whether they’ll ever be able to recover the smoker.
The total value of the trailer and smoker is well over $12,000.
