COVINGTON, Ga. – Investigators with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) are looking for three suspects responsible for stealing lawn equipment from the Newton County Water Authority’s Cornish Creek Treatment Plant early Tuesday morning.

According to the report, Director of Water Resources James Brown stated that at approximately 2:30 a.m. Aug. 1 three males cut the lock leading onto a secure building area of the property, located at 11905 Alcovy Road. Once on the property, the three reportedly retrieved a garage door opener from a maintenance truck and gained entry into the storage area where lawn equipment is stored.

Once inside, they reportedly loaded a county lawn trailer with equipment and pulled it to the front gate using a county maintenance truck. The trailer and equipment were taken but the vehicle used to pull it was left at the front entry gate which was reportedly locked. According to the report, no signs of forced entry were made at the gate.

Brown reportedly feels the suspect is an ex-employee who may still have a key to the gate.

According to the report, a Stihl weed eater, a Gator side-by-side utility vehicle and an orange Kubota zero turn diesel mower were stolen. 

Video from the scene reportedly shows three males covered from head to toe walking around various points of the property the night of the incident.